Page 66 of The Cruise

The pilot told them he’d diverted to the airport, where the weather was clear, and they could land safely. His explanation of how sudden and unexpected weather systems can play havoc went over their heads. ‘Folks, I’m sorry that you had to go through that,’ he continued, ‘I hope it didn’t stop the enjoyment of your ride.’

Too stunned to speak, Selwyn and Jane gripped each other’s hands.

‘It’s taken a near-fatal experience to bring us together,’ Jane whispered as she looked into Selwyn’s eyes.

‘I will make sure that there are no others to tear us apart,’ he replied.

As the helicopter descended and landed safely, the sun began to shine again. Selwyn helped Jane out and wrapped his arm around her, and she felt as though she were floating on a cloud as light as air.

It didn’t matter that Jane was covered in mud and hot, sweaty, and exhausted from the day's events. She couldn’t care less that her dress clung to her damp swimming costume and rode up her legs. Now she knew that strange feeling she’d experienced wasn’t nerves or a tummy upset, and the butterflies bouncing around had meaning.

Love. That unfamiliar word. Something she’d never known until now. Jane was in love and wanted to shout it out to the world!

As they waited outside the terminal for Curtis, Selwyn took Jane in his arms and kissed her again.

So, this is what it feels like,Jane thought as she succumbed. She didn’t care that a flight had landed, and scores of passengers were heading their way. The ordeal had brought her together with Selwyn, and now that it was over, the fat lady was most definitely singing.

ChapterTwenty-Eight

Unfortunately for Bridgette, her talk,All Muck and Magic, had little to do with tending to the earth to produce spectacular enchanting gardens. Instead of imparting wisdom accumulated over years of competing in award-winning floral events, she found herself far from the centre of attention in the Neptune Lounge later that afternoon.

Guests had learnt that Bridgette was amongst the party that had been robbed whilst on the island of Antigua, and, like Chinese whispers, the story had gathered pace. The atmosphere was almost party-like as passengers, drying off after the sudden storm, had no interest in gardening but wanted to hear all about the theft.

In front of an enraptured audience, Nancy grabbed Bridgette’s microphone and told of the near-death experience the Captain had endured. Luckily for the old boy, Harold was the hero of the hour and had fought off multiple armed robbers, Nancy tearfully explained, but they’d been unable to prevent the theft.

Nancy had embellished the story. Refusing to give up her moment in the limelight, she led passengers to believe Anne would need knee replacements, Kath was suffering from shock, whilst the Captain had been sedated and was lying in the infirmary under the watchful eye of the ship’s medics. Nancy refused to remove herself from the podium as Bridgette tapped her foot and rolled her eyes.

Was Nancy mad?Bridgette asked herself as she listened to the fictitious story that prevented her from delivering her lecture. Peter was standing on one side of the stage, and she caught his eye. Raising her hands in a questioning gesture, Bridgette drew her fingers across her throat to indicate that he silence Nancy. She was astonished to see that he merely shrugged his shoulders in a gesture of self-defeat.

‘Bugger this…’ Bridgette muttered. There was little point in persisting with her talk. If the audience wanted make-believe, then Nancy was the one to deliver it. Knowing that a party was taking place in the Captain’s suite, Bridgette picked up her notes and, waving goodbye to Peter, stepped down from the stage.

As she wandered through the ship, Bridgette smiled. The Captain wasn’t as daft as he looked. He’d laughed when they’d got him back to theDiamond Starwhere concerned crew officials wanted to alert the Antiguan police.

There was no need for police intervention, the Captain said. The Rolex that he’d worn was fake. He’d picked it up for a few euros when cruising in the Greek Islands and told the officials that he would have given it to the chap had he taken the trouble to ask for it. As for Anne’s knees, there was hardly a mark, and Kath’s antiseptic wipes had erased all signs of injury. Any shock that Kath experienced was soon quelled when the Captain cracked open the first bottle of Dom Perignon.

‘Got room for a little one?’ Bridgette called out as she entered the Captain’s suite.

Anne handed Bridgette a glass of champagne and indicated that they head out to the Captain’s balcony to watch the sunset.

‘Did you hear that a helicopter got into difficulties during the storm?’ Kath asked and chinked glasses with Bridgette.

‘Nancy is giving it chapter and verse,’ Bridgette replied. ‘She’s taken over my lecture. Anyone would think that Harold was onboard the helicopter, with first-hand knowledge.’

‘I heard he was in the bar, at the time, recovering from the robbery,’ Kath said.

‘Nancy said the helicopter passengers were from the Italian cruise ship on the next pier.’ Bridgette sipped her drink, enjoying the Captain’s expensive taste.

‘She makes it up as goes along.’ Kath shook her head. ‘But it sounds as though the pilot was very skilled and manoeuvred them out of difficulty.’

‘As long as the passengers are all right, though they must have had a bumpy ride.’ Bridgette took the Captain’s arm and gently assisted him to a cushioned sunbed, turned to face the setting sun. She closed her eyes to enjoy the moment, and had Kath and Anne not been in the suite, she’d have stripped to the buff and lain down to share a spliff with the old boy.

‘Has anyone heard from Jane?’ Bridgette asked. ‘I saw her setting off with Selwyn this morning.’

‘I’m sure she’ll be back soon,’ Kath said, ‘probably complaining about being stuck in his company all day. No matter how hard Selwyn tries, Jane is blind to his advances.’

‘He could advance on me any day of the week.’ Anne kicked off her sandals and settled beside the Captain. ‘I think Selwyn is gorgeous.’

‘He doesn’t talk about himself,’ Bridgette mused. ‘Selwyn is a very private man.’

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