‘Not a bit of it, my little hornets’ nest,’ Don said cheerfully, handing me a glass of fizzy water, ‘coming right up. Bernardo, how about a Cosmopolitan for my lovely lady wife?’
‘Of course. What an excellent choice. It will be here momentarily,’ Bernardo said.
‘No idea what that means,’ Don said. ‘Let’s wait and see, shall we?’
‘Ah, there you are,’ Anna said, sashaying into the bar, Harriet a few steps behind her. Her new dress certainly was a showstopper and Don’s eyes bulged slightly at the sight of her.
‘Drinks, ladies,’ he said. ‘What’s your pleasure?’
‘A Cosmo, Don,’ Belinda said testily. ‘Today would be nice.’
‘Of course,’ Don said, rather chastened.
Harriet went to speak to Mila, who was working at the other end of the bar, and ordered two gin and tonics.
Ignoring Craig’s suggestion that we join them, we sat down at a table and watched as the workers on the dockside cast off the ropes, freeing theAtalantafor the next part of her journey. Slowly the boat moved away from the dockside and turned to face the open sea.
And so was I, I realised. I too had cast off from my old life and was heading into new waters, towards my future. I gave a little shiver. Was it trepidation or excitement?
21
‘I’ve had such a lovely time,’ Anna said. ‘I fell asleep on the sundeck. I’ve been reading a book that everyone is raving about. A man with a false leg and insomnia confronting his demons in Patagonia. I have to say I found it very hard going. What have you been up to?’
‘I had a great time too. I went for a walk,’ I said, ‘and did some thinking. I have a plan.’
‘I thought I could smell burning brain cells,’ Harriet said. ‘I always think having a plan sounds brilliant until you have to actually get dressed and leave the house. Anyway, have you been having important thoughts or just wondering what colour to paint the kitchen?’
‘A mixture of the two,’ I said. ‘I’ve realised that at long last I’m in charge of myself now, and I’m going to act accordingly. Make my own choices.’
‘Good scheme,’ Anna said, raising her glass towards me, ‘and here comes your first opportunity to make a choice. Sit and have dinner with us or… Gosh, he’s rather scrummy, isn’t he?’
I followed her gaze and saw Jack coming towards me, looking very suave in a striped shirt and dark chinos. He smiled as he saw me.
‘Good evening, I hope you have all had a pleasant afternoon exploring?’
‘Absolutely marvellous,’ Anna said. ‘I fell asleep on the sundeck.’
She batted her eyelashes and smiled up at him. I’d seen that look a hundred times, always the incorrigible flirt, Anna had never been terribly subtle. I suddenly felt rather annoyed. She’d already stressed how much she missed Rupert; did she have to start her tricks with Jack?
‘And I had a little snooze too,’ Harriet said. ‘My knee has been playing up a bit and I wanted to give it a rest.’
‘And you?’ he said, turning to me. ‘Tell me what you’ve been doing.’
I saw Anna’s smile fade and felt unreasonably pleased. How silly of me.
I felt a bit fluttery inside, then I took charge of myself again.
‘I had a great walk along the coastal path and went into one of the posh hotels for a glass of wine before I came back. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt quite the explorer.’
‘Good for you,’ he said, ‘and tomorrow we reach Cres Island. It sounds as though there is a lot to see there. And Rocco tells me it is very picturesque.’
‘Does he know you are taking notes?’ Anna asked.
Jack grimaced. ‘No, not yet.’
‘So when do you tell him?’ Harriet said.
‘At the end perhaps or not at all, it all depends how things go.’
