‘She’s going to be sorry in the morning, she’s going to have such a headache,’ Evelyn said sadly from behind me. ‘Perhaps I’ll get Craig a bottle of coconut water for her. It’s supposed to be full of electrolytes or something. Although my sister Wendy in Australia swears by Vegemite on toast. I wonder if there is any on the ship?’
‘Bananas are supposed to be good for hangovers,’ I said. ‘I’m sure they would have some.’
Next to me Jack held up a finger. ‘I have an American friend who swears by a prairie oyster: a raw egg, Worcester sauce, vinegar, hot sauce and tomato juice.’
I pulled a face. ‘I’d rather have the hangover, given the choice.’
‘Thank heavens,’ Marjorie said, a few minutes later, ‘we’re back. My second husband used to swear by something called onion syrup. Finely chopped onion mixed with brown sugar and vinegar. He made me try it once. It was one of the reasons I divorced him. That and the way he squeezed the toothpaste tube. Even the judge pulled a sympathetic face. Now then, should we get off or wait for Dawn to go first?’
We decided we would leave the coach first, and filed out silently past a still sleeping Dawn, Craig staring straight ahead and avoiding eye contact with any of us.
Don trotted after us along the quayside as we went back to the boat.
‘Bit of a turn up,’ he said. ‘Who knew she could be such a firebrand?’
‘Oh, do be quiet,’ Belinda snapped. ‘As though you haven’t been like that? And let’s think of poor Craig and Dawn. Not a word to the others. There’s been more than enough questionable and unladylike behaviour on this holiday.’
And she fired a look at me.
I pressed my lips together to stop myself laughing while everyone else murmured their agreement and tried to look sincere. Personally, I didn’t give much hope for Dawn’s chances.
‘Okay, of course, absolutely, we’ll forget all about it,’ Don said, rubbing his hands together. ‘What’s the time? Six fifteen. Anyone fancy a beer and a rubber of bridge before dinner?’
No one replied and, unusually for him, Don let it slide.
* * *
I stood on the little balcony outside my cabin, breathing in the sea air and enjoying the tranquillity. I’d showered and changed into my dressing gown. It was almost time to get ready for dinner, although yet again, I did wonder if I needed anything to eat.
Still, it was the last evening we would all be together and tomorrow we would be returning to Opatija and then going to the airport and the flight back to England. It had been an interesting day, no one would argue with that. Poor Dawn, she must have been feeling awful. I hoped she was asleep.
Suddenly somewhere above me I heard shouting. The unmistakeable sound of Anjelica arguing with Rocco which was usually accompanied by the sound of breaking china. But on this occasion it wasn’t, and after a few minutes it all went quiet again.
I leaned out, trying to see the deck above me, which of course I couldn’t, but I could hear the sounds of someone’s footsteps which then stopped and was followed by the noise of loud crying. Not the sort of crying I was used to, quiet and muffled. Rather embarrassed. This was someone wailing and keening with all their energy. I supposed Anjelica was perhaps a more passionate creature than I was and didn’t care who heard her. I wondered what the problem was. Should I call out? Maybe go up and see what the matter was?
Then she shouted again.
‘Gala dinner! I give you gala dinner!’
This was followed by something whizzing out from the boat into the sea like a Frisby. It looked like a whole Rab cake. And when it landed in the sea there was suddenly a flurry of fish, splashing and clustering around the unexpected prize. Well, it hadn’t gone to waste anyway.
There was another exasperated scream.
‘Ne radim to!I’m not doing it!’
This time no one answered so I assumed Rocco had simply left her to it. Perhaps that was the wisest thing to do.
It was time to get ready for the last night gala dinner which Anjelica has mentioned. A big notice had been put up on the main notice board to tell us it was going to be a splendid occasion.
I couldn’t wear my yellow dress because the strap was broken, the green and white dress was a bit crumpled, and the purple jewelled dress has a small stain in the middle. Probably wine. What a pity I was such a sloppy eater. Perhaps I could just hold my handbag over it all evening.
I gave it a try and looked in the mirror. I looked suspiciously like someone trying to hide a pregnancy bump at a wedding.
Still, there wasn’t much of an alternative; everything else in my wardrobe was either grubby or unsuitable. I couldn’t exactly turn up to a gala dinner in jeans, rather battered trainers and a red T-shirt.
I fixed my hair and dabbed on a bit of makeup in honour of the occasion and made my way to the top deck where we had been promised cocktails and canapes.
Despite the fact that several of our number had spent an hour wine tasting and drinking schnapps, everyone was piling into the free cocktails like there was no tomorrow. Under the illuminations from the fairy lights, they all looked very luminous and slightly dangerous to me, so I took a bottle of water and looked around for my friends.
