Page 93 of Old Girls on Deck

‘Here’s my card,’ she said, pushing one across the table, ‘so we can keep in touch. Even if it’s just a note at Christmas. I’ve so enjoyed meeting you both. You’ve cheered me up no end.’

The possibility that we had indeed been like an unexpected entertainment grew, and I felt rather embarrassed.

‘I hope we haven’t been too hard going,’ I said at last.

‘Oh, goodness no. Once, in the Baltic, I spent some time in the company of a couple who did nothing but complain about everything from the lighting in their cabin to the comfort of the dining-room chairs. Very tiresome. You two have been such fun. Always something interesting to talk about. And missing the ship altogether was quite an experience, I’ve often wondered how that was possible and what I would do if I did. All’s well that ends well. Life often turns out like that, I find. It may not feel like it at the time, but people can be so kind, I don’t think we realise that sometimes.’

‘I envy you a bit, staying on,’ Diana said suddenly, ‘although I’ve been on so many ships and seen so many places, I can honestly say this trip has been the most fun out of all of them. And considering how many I have been on, that’s a bit of a shock. It’s been like, well, a proper holiday, rather than work.’

‘So, what will you do next?’ Evelyn asked.

‘I realised I’ve never explored my own country. And people come from all over the world to visit it. I’m going to Scotland to see Sam, and I’ll enjoy that, but I want to see places like Canterbury, and Hever Castle, perhaps the Norfolk Broads?—’

‘Very flat, Norfolk,’ I said in my best Noël Coward voice.

‘And Cornwall; I’ve always loved Daphne du Maurier. And the Lake District. That sort of thing. And I really might just write that book, even if it’s just for my own entertainment.’

‘Good idea,’ Evelyn said.

‘So you’re not going to travel so far, but I am going to do the exact opposite,’ I said. ‘I am determined to explore a bit more of the world with Eddy.’

As I said it, I felt really excited at the prospect. And America was a great place to start. I’d already done some research on my laptop and the visitor centres looked incredible. Particularly the one in Gettysburg. Eddy would love that.

‘Brilliant idea,’ Diana said, ‘I’ve told you so often there are wonderful places to see.’

‘And now I can see you are right,’ I said, ‘and if I tell Eddy he needs a spreadsheet, he’ll be thrilled.’

I suddenly had a vision of Eddy, sitting at the computer at the end of the dining room table, tapping away at the keyboard, his hair sticking up as he ran his hands through it as he always did when he was excited. And I felt a warm glow of affection for him, I couldn’t wait to see him again, it felt as though we had been apart for a very long time. I had seen so many great things on this trip, and the only thing that would have made it even better was if he had been here too.

There was a bit of a pause in the conversation then as the waiters came to our table with some luscious-looking Eggs Benedict, the hollandaise sauce gleaming in the lights from the chandelier above us, a tiny sprig of coriander placed carefully on the top of each perfectly poached egg. My breakfasts from now on wouldn’t be nearly so exciting.

Diana picked up her cutlery and then paused.

‘You know, this holiday has been the end of something for me, and perhaps the beginning of something. I still have life left in me. I don’t have to spend the next years feeling as though nothing can change, that I’ve done everything I’m going to do. I miss Casper, of course I do, I think I always will. I loved him very much and we did have a great life together. It will be difficult moving on without him. But perhaps I’m not quite done yet.’

Evelyn nodded. ‘I remember when Douglas died, a friend wrote something in a card, something I’ve never forgotten and that I’ve kept close to my heart ever since: “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” Lovely, isn’t it?’

We spent the rest of our time chatting about inconsequential things, laughing about the time we had spent together, and then it was time to leave, so we could go back to our cabin for the last time and pick up our belongings.

We got as far as the grand staircase with the dizzying view down to the main hallway, the marble floors and the huge glass light fitting, and there was Raphaël, waiting for us.

‘One last picture, ladies,’ he said, ‘and then I will leave you in peace.’

I snuck a look at my sister and then back at him and could see there was definitely something between them. Something rather lovely. And then my brain drifted off to wondering about them sharing some ‘enthusiastic’ time together, and I mentally slapped myself and made myself think about something else. I’d been there for my sister through puberty and school and exams and her wedding and pregnancy but pondering on her sex life was something very out of bounds.

He posed the three of us together and took a few shots, and then he did individual pictures. Did he spend more time on my sister? Yes, of course he did.

‘I wish you a pleasant and safe trip home,’ he said at last, and he gave Diana that twinkly look, which showed that this was far from the end of things, and I was glad for her. If anyone deserved a nice, kind, enthusiastic man in her life, then Diana did.

I caught hold of his arm as he turned to leave.

‘You’d better be good to her, or twinkly and charming or not, you’ll answer to me,’ I muttered, rather astonished at my own outspokenness.

He gave me a little nod. ‘Of course, madame.’

‘Yes. Well. I’m just saying.’

Down below us on the quayside we could see the coach which was to take us to the airport. It was one of those huge white ones, with enormous wing mirrors that looked like ears, and the tireless crew members were shunting all our luggage into the caverns beneath it.

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