'Well, they'll have to sort it out for themselves. I have enough to do helping to catch this wretched thief. Now, what do we have to do? Give me my stage directions.'
*
'Have a farewell drink with me this evening?' Robert said, as he joined the band members at their table on deck, where they were having an early breakfast. They were due in Funchal within the hour and they all wanted to make the most of this day in Madeira. 'I'm not staying on for the next cruise,' he went on, 'and the last couple of days will be too busy. We leave here at six, so when you've had time to change?'
They nodded and thanked him. He had already rounded up the few other men who had been at Mary's party when the notes had been stolen, and all the male suspects would be in the bar for Bea's little drama to unfold.
*
They were due at Madeira early in the morning, and Julie determined to get up and look at as much as possible of the coastline of what she had heard called an enchanted island. She and Andrew had been promising themselves a visit to see the many wonderful gardens they'd heard about from friends.
'Come on, lazybones,' she urged Susan, but her sister groaned and buried her head in the pillows.
'You go. I've got one of my beastly heads. I'm staying in bed today. But promise me you won't give up going ashore.'
'I'll go, I know you'll only want to be left alone.' Silently Julie dissolved a couple of aspirins in some water and Susan, pale-faced, swallowed the medicine. Julie said no more. Susan often suffered from these debilitating attacks, and only peace and sleep had any effect.
'Lock the door, I don't want anyone barging in. Tell the stewardess not to bother today.'
'I'll come back after breakfast,' she promised softly as she let herself out of the cabin, placing the 'Do not Disturb' notice outside.
She'd see the cabin stewardess later, and despite what Susan wanted, ask her to keep an eye on her sister. And if Cathy was not going on any of the excursions, perhaps she would look in as well. By dinnertime, when the boat was due to leave, Susan might feel like some bland food, but anything now would be counter-productive.
She met Cathy as she was by the deck buffet, helping herself to fresh fruit and a yoghurt. There was so much tempting food laid out, delicious bread and pastries, cold meat and cheese, a variety of hot dishes, as well as cereals and toast, that it was difficult not to gorge. She had, she knew, put on more weight than she wanted.
'Don't worry, I'm coming back on board at lunchtime and I'll look in on her then,' Cathy reassured her. 'She's usually better after a couple of hours, well enough to eat, anyway.'
'The stewardess will have finished, and Susan will have locked the door. But if she's better perhaps she'll open it for you.'
'Don't worry, I know where to find a spare master key. Now excuse me, I'm taking this down to the shop. Things to do while it's closed and before I go ashore.'
Julie was carrying her tray to a table by the side of the boat, from where she could see the rugged coastline coming into view, when she noticed Robert coming towards her.
'May I join you?' he invited, pulling out a chair. 'I've had breakfast, but I need a second cup of coffee. Where is Susan?'
'In bed, she has one of her headaches. She suffers from them occasionally, and nothing helps but to lie down quietly.'
'Have you called the doctor?'
'No, she has pills, and all she needs is rest. But it means she won't be able to go ashore.'
'You won't stay behind with her, will you?
Julie shook her head. 'There's no need, and it would only fret her. I was wondering whether there's room on one of the trips. We didn't sign up, we were going to explore Funchal on our own.'
'Spend the day with me. I know Funchal quite well, I've been here a few times, and I'd enjoy your company.'
She glanced up at him, and then looked away, flustered by the warmth in his eyes. He had been so cool of late.
'Thank you, I'd like that. We – Andrew and I – always planned to come here one day,' she said quietly. 'I don't know whether I'll feel maudlin.'
'If you want to come back to the boat at any time, you've only to say so.'
'No. I want to see it, for his sake. I chickened out of a whole week here last year, and Susan insisted a cruise was better for meeting people, but if I like it I might come back in a year or two.'
They could see the steep cliffs now, and taking their coffee cups moved to the rail to watch as the boat came towards the great bay which formed a perfect harbour, backed by an amphitheatre of hills, most of them covered with pale-coloured houses.
'Those houses,' Julie said in astonishment. 'Some of them seem to cling onto the hillside with nothing beneath them!'
'The Madeirans are used to steep slopes, their farming in the past was done mostly on narrow terraces. They're great builders, too,' Robert said. 'They build many houses on stilts, perched on ledges too narrow to put a small shed.'
Julie pointed to their right. 'Is that a road, high up over that ravine? It looks impossible! Those pillars holding it up are so tall!'
'The new motorway alternately crosses those deep ravines and tunnels through the mountains,' Robert said. 'Before they improved the roads, only the smallest of cars could manage here.'
Julie watched in awe as the boat came into the port. There were dozens of yachts in the marina, and several other boats moored to the dockside.
'Go and get what you need,' Robert said, 'and we'll meet by the gangway in ten minutes.'
Julie peeped in on Susan, who was fast asleep, and alerted the stewardess, a pretty Spanish girl, who promised to do whatever was necessary.
'Go and enjoy,' she said with a bright smile, and Julie knew Susan was in safe hands.
*
As she and Robert walked down the gangway Julie heard Steven's voice behind her. She thought he was calling her name, but he was too far behind for her to be certain. And surely, after the way she had made it clear she wanted nothing more to do with him, he could not be expecting her to join him on a shore excursion?
There was a crush of people between them, all eager to disembark, and Robert hastened her over to a yellow taxi the moment they reached the dock.
'We'll go to the cable car first, beat the queues,' he said. 'It goes up to Monte. You'll have a wonderful view of the whole town. Then we can decide what to do.'
'I'm not sure I want to, I'm not keen on heights,' she protested, but he reassured her she would be perfectly safe.
'It's an experience not to be missed, it passes right over the rooftops of many traditional houses, and we can see a side of island life not usually visible to tourists.'
Julie allowed herself to be persuaded, but when the time came to step into the small carriage hanging from the overhead cables she refused to sit in the seat next to the window, preferring the centre one. An enormously fat woman followed her in, and Julie was forced to squeeze up to Robert. He put his arm round her and pulled her close.
'That will give you more room,' he said to the woman, but it was clear to Julie that was not his prime intention, and she grinned at his opportunism.
She shrank back as the carriage lifted up above the houses. How the people over whose flat roofs it passed must have disliked it when their privacy was invaded in such a way, she thought, trying to forget about the drop below.
The views were, she had to admit, magnificent, and soon she was craning across Robert's body as he pointed out the various sights. When they stepped out at the end it seemed entirely natural he should keep his arm round her waist.
'I had no intention of going on those wicker sledges, down a steep cobbled street, and depending on a couple of men running behind holding ropes to steer,' she said later to Susan, still amazed at herself for agreeing.
'So was Robert the big protective male?' Susan asked, grinning at her.
'No-o, he just made it sound so ordinary, something anyone could do, that I didn't dare refuse!'
And it had been exhilarating, she confessed to h
erself, but didn't tell her sister how it had felt to have Robert's arm round her protectively as they sat in the sledge, or how, at one particularly scary moment, she'd turned her face into his chest, and he'd dropped a kiss on the top of her head, and pulled her close.
Back in central Funchal Robert guided her to the old town area. Julie was content to let him organise the day. She knew she would not have time to see more than a small amount, but she'd know whether she wanted to come back.
The market, round an open courtyard, with its massed array of wonderful flowers and all sorts of fruit and vegetables, was almost too tempting. Julie wanted to buy armfuls of the scented blooms, the gorgeous belladonna lilies, the flamboyant strelitzia, and other flowers, but turned away regretfully.
'I can't carry them around for the rest of the day!'
'Have some sent home for when you get back,' Robert suggested. 'I mean to.'
She did that, and then Robert took her to the adjacent fish market, where giant tuna and the long, eel-like, evil-headed espada were laid out on slabs.
'We should have espada for lunch. It's only found here and a couple of other places, because it lives so deep in the sea. Madeira was a volcanic island, and the land plunges as steeply under the water as above it.'
'How do they catch it then?'
'Extremely long lines with lots of hooks. The reduction in pressure kills them as they are brought to the surface.'
They strolled through the old town, had lunch at a table outside one of the restaurants, and then took a taxi to Cabo Girão. It was an enormous cliff, terrifying to stand at the top, but Robert again hugged her to him and she felt no fear.
The taxi back drew into the driveway of Reid's hotel, and Robert led the way to the terrace, where tea was laid out and they could look over the cliff-side gardens and towards the harbour.
'I thought one had to book ahead?' Julie asked, looking at the other tables, all of them occupied.
'I did. I always meant to bring you here today if I could persuade you to join me. It's a wonderful place for a honeymoon,' he added, but so softly Julie could pretend she hadn't heard.
*
'There are so many other places on the island I want to see, Susan, I must come back one day soon,' she said later as they were dressing for dinner.
'We will.' Susan was still pale, but insisted she was quite recovered. 'Cathy made me drink lots of mineral water, and that helped.'
'I want to see the gardens,' Julie went on dreamily. 'You should have seen the enormous poinsettias, growing almost wild in people's gardens. I bought lots of postcards and a couple of books.'
'Perhaps Robert will act as guide again,' Susan said, and winced as Julie threw a pillow at her.
'I'm delighted you're so much better, sister mine. Seriously, is the headache truly gone, and will you be OK for dinner?'
'It wasn't as bad as normal, thank goodness. Now let's go and find a drink.'
*
Chapter 7
Robert was sitting at a table close to the bar, with several men, and didn't notice them come in. Bea waved to them from a nearby table where she was sitting alone, and they joined her. Cathy and several other girls from the crew were nearby, but there were no free chairs there.
They chatted about their day. Bea said they had been shopping for part of the time, for some of the fabulous embroidered tablecloths.
'Though I'll never dare use them, they are so exquisite. You must come up to the suite later and I'll show them to you.'
Just then Mary Talbot came into the bar. She was holding her right hand in her left, and looking rather unsteady. Bea quickly went to her and guided her to a chair.
'Mother, what is it?'
Mary winced. 'It will be better soon, dear. It was the shock. I caught my hand in one of the doors just as it closed.'
'Let me see. It's beginning to swell. Here, take that ring off, or it may be too tight to get off later. I'll get some ice.'
Mary took off the huge emerald ring and placed it on the table, then cradled her hand in the shawl she was wearing. Bea went to the bar, interrupting the barman who was dealing with Robert ordering more drinks, and demanded some ice.
'Can you wrap some in a cloth, please?' she asked, and when he had done so she carried it back to place on Mary's hand.
Mary winced again. 'Gosh, it's cold.'
'It's the best thing for you. But you are looking faint. Come on, we'll have dinner in the suite. Forgive us, girls, but I think I'd better get Mother to bed. No, Mother, I mean it. I'll send for some more ice when we've used up all there is in the suite, and it will be better in the morning.'
She refused Julie's offer of help, but Julie went ahead and held open the door. After they left there was a general move into the dining room. Robert went to the bar, the men who had been with him drifted away, and most of the other people in the bar decided to head for the dining room.
*
Steven was waiting at the entrance to the dining room, looking hurt, and as soon as they appeared he stopped them and demanded to know why Julie hadn't waited for him that morning.
'I called after you, didn't you hear me?'
'I thought I heard your voice, but I didn't hear what you said.' She was rather taken aback by his angry tone. Surely, after what she'd said to him, he wasn't so insensitive to expect her to forgive him?
'I was looking forward to taking you to some of my favourite places. Rosemary, my wife, and I came here several years ago.'
'Things have changed now they've built the motorway, and are building new hotels,' Robert said quietly.
Julie hadn't noticed him come up behind her.
'Ruining the place!' Steven said shortly, and turned his back on Robert. 'Didn't you go, Susan? I didn't see you with this pair, or did they give you the slip too? There were so many dodderers blocking the gangway I couldn't catch them up before Fellows hustled Julie into a taxi.'
'I was in bed, bad headache,' Susan told him. 'Tell me, did you revisit your old haunts?'
'Yes, but it isn't the same on your own. Memories kept intruding, you know.'
*
'I wanted to weep,' Susan said later. She'd left the table after the main course and gone to bed early, and Julie, saying she was tired after the long day, had retired with her. 'As if taking you to his wife's favourite haunts would make you feel sorry for him. I'm beginning to see why you can't stand him. Close proximity hasn't improved him, yet he seemed pleasant enough when we met again in London.'
Julie was brushing her hair until it crackled with static. 'I haven't even been polite. I certainly haven't given him any reason to think I've forgiven him, or want his company, exclusive or otherwise, when we go ashore. Just the opposite in fact. I thought I had finally choked him off.'
'I went up to the deck café with Cathy this afternoon for a cup of tea,' Susan said slowly. 'I was feeling better and peckish by then. He was there, he must have come back early. I was behind one of the pillars and he didn't see me, but he was talking to one of those women Robert dances with, you know, the one who wears all those rings. He was asking her all sorts of questions, whether she knew anything about Robert, had she met him before on other cruises, and so on.'
'What did she say?' Julie tried to sound indifferent.
'I don't think she gave much away. She must be over eighty, but she was flirting with the man!'
Julie laughed suddenly. 'Susan, dear, you'll be flirting with handsome young men when you're eighty, so don't knock it!'
Susan chuckled. 'Not so obviously as she does, I hope. It was nauseating. She actually invited him down to her cabin for a pre-dinner drink.'
'Good for her! Did he accept?'
'I don't know. Someone else spoke to me and I didn't hear. But they'd both gone a few minutes later.'
*
'The ring was taken from the table in the bar,' Robert told the Captain after dinner. 'I didn't see who, and as there were women there too, shop girls and hairdressers, who had been in the suite at that f
irst party, one of them could have stolen it.'
'Then we had better search all of them,' the Captain said, sighing. 'This will be all round the ship in hours, and not do our reputation any good.'
'We can afford to wait,' Robert said.
'But we'll be at Casablanca and they might take it off the ship. It could be they left stealing it until now just because they knew they could dispose of it there.'
'Don't worry. That's covered. I have another suggestion, one that will save too great a fuss,' Robert said. 'There's a tracker device concealed in the setting of ring. That's why we had to make the stone so big! It's a new, specially tiny device, and isn't on the open market yet. The other part which I have will emit a buzz which gets more frequent when we are within a couple of metres of the ring.'
'I see. But why didn't you tell me about this before?'
'Not because I don't trust you,' Robert assured him, and the Captain laughed. 'I just felt it was better that as few people as possible knew of it. You wouldn't mean to, but you might be looking at the ring more than necessary, and alert someone.'
'It's a ring worth looking at!'
'I'll stand by the gangway when people leave the ship, and if anyone is carrying the ring we'll know and can stop them. If no one does take it ashore we can search the cabins of all the suspects. Many of them will have gone ashore. If they have hidden it somewhere else we will have to search the ship until I hear a buzz. We could do that while the excursions are away, it's a long trip to Marrakech, and they won't be back till later than normal.'
*
They arrived at Casablanca very early in the morning. A tour had been arranged to Marrakech, which started out as soon as the ship had completed customs formalities. It was a long drive, over two hundred kilometres, but Julie had decided it was too good an opportunity to miss. Susan had been before, and said she did not feel up to the long day. She'd spend it helping Cathy tidy up the shop ready for the final day before the cruise ended.
Lucky for Love Page 7
