Page 55 of The Cruise

‘I liked his carrots.’ Kath giggled. ‘I’d love a sweater like that.’

‘It was terrible. Dicky thinks that Peter has it in for him, and likes to make him look silly.’

‘Well, he turned it round last night,’ Jane said. ‘The cabaret was great, and Dicky stole the show.’

Anne, wearing her La Perla nightie, had a far-off look as she leaned back in her chair. Closing her eyes, she stretched her legs and placed her toes on the handrail, ‘Yes, he was rather good, wasn’t he?’ she said.

‘Absolutely hilarious. I’m tempted to ask him for a souvenir and to sign a copy of his book for me,’ Jane said.

Kath raised her eyebrows. Having read Dicky’s far-fetched book, she didn’t think it was that good but decided to let it pass.

‘He’s certainly talented, and a great compere.’ Anne sighed. She laid a hand on her brow. ‘I’m surprised he hasn’t been approached for the Royal Variety Performance.’

Incredulous, Kath and Jane exchanged glances.

‘I’m not sure he’s in such a league.’ Jane shrugged. ‘But do tell us, where did you go with Dicky?’

After the show, the friends split up when Dicky, buoyed up by his successful performance, sought Ann out and whisked her away.

‘We went for a cocktail,’ Anne said and remembered how they’d made their way to the bar, where the Captain sat with Bridgette, working their way through the top shelf of malts.

But Anne’s time with Dicky had been abruptly cut short.

Seating themselves, they’d ordered a drink when Dicky was approached by a woman dressed from top to toe in a designer gown and jewels. She insisted that Dicky accompany her. Anne couldn’t understand why she’d called Dicky ‘T.H.’ and reminded him that her watch needed servicing. Dicky barely apologised to Anne as he knocked back his drink and leapt up, saying he’d catch her later. Feeling miffed, Anne decided to drown her sorrows with the Captain and Bridgette. But Bridgette was melancholy and spoke of how she missed her Hugo. The Captain, who became more lucid the more he drank, offered to marry them both.

It hadn’t been Anne’s best evening.

‘What did you two get up to?’ Anne asked.

Kath tilted her head. ‘You’ll be pleased to hear that madam’ – Kath pointed to Jane –‘came out of her comfort zone and went to the Mermaid Theatre with Selwyn.’

‘Crikey.’ Anne inched forward. ‘Was it like a date?’

‘Oh, don’t be daft.’ Jane felt her skin redden and a flush creep up her neck. ‘We just had a drink, listened to the Marley Men for half an hour or so, and then he walked me back here.’

‘But you must have had a snog?’ Anne persisted.

‘I did not!’ Jane could feel a vein pulse in her temple. She wished she could gloss over her experience with Selwyn, but the memory was too fresh.

‘I thought he looked very dashing, in his dinner suit,’ Kath said, ‘and that scarlet cummerbund set it off a treat.’

Jane too thought that Selwyn was easy on the eye. He scrubbed up well, and she’d been aware of heads turning as they’d entered the Mermaid Theatre together. Butwhyhad she drunk so much wine with each course during their meal? After coffee and liqueurs, she’d found it easy to accept Selwyn’s invitation to accompany him to see the Marley Men. But during the Christmas cabaret, Jane began to sober up. She knew she’d have crept away if Selwyn hadn’t been waiting when the show ended.

Jane tilted her head and felt the sun on her skin. Her emotions were all over the place, and she didn’t understand her feelings. Jane couldn’t remember when a man had been so kind and courteous and was sure that Selwyn must feel sorry for her. The big woman who was always ignored. But if she gave in to these strange and topsy-turvy feelings, surely she’d get hurt? When the cruise ended, in the cold light of day, Selwyn would be gone and never heard from again. As a salty spray misted her skin, Jane sighed. She was too old to have her heart broken.

‘So, tell us, did you dance?’ Anne was back on the case.

‘Er … yes,’ Jane muttered. ‘For a while.’

‘I’ve seen Selwyn on the dance floor, and he’s got some groovy moves.’ Anne smiled and raised her eyebrows.

Jane reached for a glass of water and took a long drink. Her dance with Selwyn had been one of her most embarrassing experiences. While Selwyn would be a worthy winner ofStrictly Come Dancing, Jane stood ramrod straight and felt her feet turn to lead. Her body froze as the sounds of calypso filled the dance floor. With no herbal stimulant nor Spirit’s bomb-proof rum to dull her inhibitions, Jane found it impossible to move.

Selwyn tried hard. He smiled, encouraged her, and even held out his hands to pull Jane into his arms and gently step from side to side. But that only worsened matters, and Jane stepped clumsily on his feet.

‘Oh, heck, I’m so sorry,’ she’d said, ‘I think I must be very tired.’

She mumbled apologies and told Selwyn that she was heading off to bed, and he’d insisted on walking with her through the ship. When he asked if they might amble along an open deck and watch the moonlight on the sea, Jane had almost broken into a gallop in her haste to hurry to Hibiscus.

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