Page 57 of The Cruise

Selwyn smiled as he cut into a hot buttered muffin with Canadian smoked bacon and dipped it into softly poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. He wondered how Jane would cook eggs Benedict and had no doubt that she would surpass all expectations and serve up a dish fit for a king.

‘Ah, Jane…’ Selwyn sighed and looked out the window at the Deck Café below. Guests were chatting and enjoying the sunshine as they dined from the buffet, and he wondered if Jane was eating there or taking breakfast in Hibiscus.

Selwyn had never met anyone quite like Jane. The woman could be rude and abrasive, but deep down, he knew she was shy and insecure. Had she gone through life without a lover to soften her outer shell and make her more approachable to men? He had no idea why she worried so much about her size. Selwyn loved a fuller figure and, with his marriage behind him, had no interest in meeting a woman who didn’t appreciate food and fine dining. From everything Kath had told him, Jane was clearly capable and had been good at her job and earned the respect of many high-profile chefs in the culinary world.

But how was he to win Jane’s affection?

Selwyn mulled the question over, and as a server offered more champagne, he noticed a woman at the next table trying to attract his attention. She wore designer cruise wear and layers of jewellery that warranted an armed guard. Selwyn was tempted to humour the woman with an invitation to join him but knew she might never let go once he was in her bejewelled clutches.

There was no challenge in the chase.

On the other hand, Jane was as slippery as an eel trying to avoid his attention. Yet again, he thought of her dancing in Spirit’s bar, where she’d let go entirely and danced so freely. It had been an aphrodisiac to see a woman enjoying herself so much, and he was sure that, at that moment, Jane had felt the same.

Selwyn picked up aDiamond StarDailyand studied the events. Nothing caught his eye until later when a pantomime promised to be entertaining. There was a festive buffet this afternoon and a more formal meal this evening. Chef Jaden Bird invited guests to join him and decorate a gingerbread house. In any other circumstances, Selwyn would have avoided such a session. But he strongly suspected he knew who would be in the front row.

Tucking the information under his arm, he pushed back his chair. Selwyn thanked his server by placing ten dollars in his palm, then strolled out of the Atrium. He smiled at the bejewelled diner and, returning her wave, called out, ‘Have a nice day!’

ChapterTwenty-Four

Boxing Day had been busy for Dicky, and now he sat at the back of the library in a dark alcove set apart from the large open room, a tumbler of whisky in his hand. His eyes were closed, and his legs twitched as he sat in the quiet corner. It was a solitary place where readers could relax, switch off, and catch up with updates from the many newspapers stacked on a nearby table or be engrossed in a page-turning book, the story too good to put down.

Dicky often came to this part of the ship when he needed a few quiet moments. There was an overhead light beside his chair, but he hadn’t turned it on, preferring to sit and contemplate in the dark.

Earlier, he’d shone as Buttons in the panto.

His jokes were well received, and the audience adored him. Melissa had been unable to upstage him, but he had to concede that she made a great Cinderella. The wedding scene with Prince Charming, played by Peter, had brought the house down, with theDiamond Stardancers’ dazzling costumes and everyone singing along. Peter congratulated the participants for their performances, and Dicky received a handshake. He was back in favour!

Dicky took a slug of his whisky. The peaty malt tasted good but did little to calm his anger. Things hadn’t gone so well with Anne.

One phone call and a few flattering words, and he’d arranged to meet her.

Instead of scooping up a mountain of chips on the blackjack table in the casino, he’d been furious to find that Anne pushed him to one side and placed her own bets. For an hour, he’d stood back, wide-eyed, and watched her win a considerable sum. When they eventually moved away, he’d whispered in her ear and suggested a celebratory nightcap in his cabin. But to his utter astonishment, Anne had turned him down.

‘Why would I want to be with you?’ she’d asked.

Dicky spluttered that he didn’t know what Anne was talking about and not to be so silly. But Anne had a determined gleam in her eye and Dicky could still hear her parting shot. ‘I don’t like being made a fool of and you stood me up.’

Dicky was furious. He loosened his collar and flexed his fingers. No woman had ever put him down. Still, he was grateful they hadn’t been overheard, and as Anne walked off, he’d smiled at the drinkers in the bar, ordered a whisky, and made his way to the library to think.

Immersed in his thoughts, Dicky turned his head when the door to the library opened. A woman came in, and he recognised Anne’s friend. Kath didn’t notice Dicky in the dark corner as she wandered over to a window seat. There was a lamp by her table, and Dicky saw Kath place her bag on a chair and remove a notebook. As he watched her settle, he wondered if it was worth a few moments of the Dicky Delaney charm. Kath was a reasonable-looking woman. Her appearance had changed during the cruise, and Dicky noted her expensive outfit and well-groomed hair. But as he remembered Anne’s outburst, he decided it was safer not to dally with two close friends.

A server came into the room, spoke to Kath, and returned with a drink moments later. Not wishing to participate in conversation, Dicky sank further into his chair and decided to wait it out. Kath would have her drink and leave.

It was way past bedtime for a woman her age.

* * *

Kath stared out of the picture window. It was dark outside with only the bright, bold glow of an almost full moon, brilliant against the graphite night. There was a faint pulse from the ship’s engines as it cut through the moonlit sea.

What a wonderful day it had been! Boxing Day in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Another memorable experience for Kath. Reindeer racing had been hilarious, and Kath had clapped loudly when Harold and Nancy tore off their antlers and held up the winning trophy. The panto took her back to her childhood and she was starry-eyed as she watched the dancers in their beautiful costumes. Even Dicky Delaney’s corny jokes added to the magical Christmas atmosphere.

As she sat in the library, reflecting on her day, Kath stroked the embossed cover of her journal. She’d been making notes during the cruise, detailing where they had been, the islands and events she’d enjoyed on the ship. An earlier port talk about the island of Antigua had been enjoyable, and she was looking forward to disembarking in the morning to visit some places the speaker mentioned.

A server came into the room and saw Kath sitting alone. ‘May I get you a drink?’ he asked.

Kath had eaten earlier in the Deck Café with Jane and Anne. They’d decided on a lighter option and had enjoyed nibbling from the buffet. Now, as she studied a list of cocktails, she decided that shewouldindulge. ‘Yes, please, I’d like to try a daiquiri, perhaps mango?’

As she watched the server head off, Kath realised she’d had too much to drink. There had been wine throughout their meal, and with little food in her tummy to soak it up, Kath felt quite tipsy. When her cocktail arrived, she sipped slowly as strong rum flooded her alcohol-filled veins.

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