‘Good Lord, it’s him again! What’s he doing here?’ Anna said. ‘Did you know about this?’
‘By the expression on her face, I would say yes,’ Harriet murmured, ‘you tinker.’
‘That’s Jack Fisher,’ I said airily, ignoring them, ‘we’ve met him already. He’s a travel writer.’
‘Is he by jingo,’ Evelyn said.
He came straight towards me, much to Evelyn’s evident delight, and the next few minutes were taken up with introductions and pleasantries about the boat and Evelyn expounding about the many delights of Venice.
‘I have been here before, but not for many years,’ Jack said. ‘I’m looking forward to seeing it again if I return.’
‘Then when you do I must introduce you to my friend Franco. He lives in the most delightful place near the Rialto bridge. I’m sure he would be very helpful,’ Evelyn said. ‘Let me have your mobile number and I will send him a message.’
I thought again for a moment how easy things could be when one had family members with connections. Or accommodating friends of friends with spare guest rooms, speedboats and holiday cottages. This was networking at its finest in my opinion. It must make life so much simpler.
‘Thank you, that would be wonderful,’ Jack said.
Another tray of champagne was offered and he took a glass.
At the other end of the sundeck, we heard raised voices for a moment, and then Rocco hurried past us with an expression that was not entirely happy.
‘I wonder what all that is about?’ Evelyn said.
‘I’ll go and find out,’ Anna said with a mischievous grin, ‘I love a bit of excitement.’
‘It will be great to have a slower pace of life for a few days,’ Harriet said. ‘All that travelling has taken it out of me. I just want some time to relax. I think in another life I would like to be a spoiled little lap dog. They seem to have no worries at all.’
Evelyn chuckled. ‘Oh yes. Imagine you awaken every morning in a soft bed, are lifted out and dressed in warm sweaters, given your favourite food. You have no debts, no job and no responsibilities and yet you are still angry because you are a chihuahua. And trust me, I know because I used to have one. A dear little scrap but furious at everything.’
‘Then I’ll be a cat instead,’ Harriet said.
‘Very wise,’ Jack said.
I wondered briefly how my son was getting on with the kittens. I hadn’t heard from him, so I assumed all was well.
Anna returned, scooping up a second glass of champagne. She turned, slightly breathless, eyes wide with excitement.
‘Big drama. Some guests haven’t turned up and nor have two of the crew members. There’s a lot of shouting going on downstairs in the kitchen. I think it’s called the galley. And a lot of crashing about as though someone is throwing saucepans. I peeped through the door and there is a woman there in leather trousers, rather dramatic, and she is shouting at Rocco. And he is shouting back. It’s all very alarming.’
‘Perhaps that’s his wife?’ I said.
‘Really?’ Jack murmured. ‘How marvellous.’
‘You mustn’t say anything about this when you write your report,’ I said, ‘it’s insider information.’
‘From an unreliable source,’ Harriet added, ‘and we don’t want anyone to get into trouble.’
‘I’m not an unreliable source,’ Anna said indignantly.
‘Well, whatever, we are off the record,’ I said.
Jack nodded, his face serious, although his eyes sparkled with amusement.
‘I won’t breathe a word. I am sure it’s just a little difficulty that will be sorted out in no time.’
In the distance we heard the unmistakeable sound of more shouting and a histrionic scream, and a few seconds later Rocco reappeared on the sundeck, looking surprisingly unruffled although his hair was sticking up at the back as though someone had clouted him.
‘Just to let you know we will be underway very soon,’ he said.
