“I thought we could have the afternoon together.” Maude stacked up some brochures that had been spread across her bed. “Since we haven’t seen that much of each other these last few days.”
Celia concentrated on the buttons of her shirt. If the truth be told she was pleased they’d not seen much of each other but then she felt mean.
“I can’t right now, Maude.” She glanced at her face in the mirror and decided against reapplying her lipstick. Josie was bringing her make-up case to Ketty’s. “I’m meeting Josie and Ketty.”
“Oh, well if you have plans…”
Celia looked at Maude’s reflection in the mirror. Her expression was unusually contrite.
She turned around. “Is something wrong?”
“I was looking for some company, that’s all.”
“What about Pete?”
Maude sagged to the bed. “Anne’s feeling a lot better and they’re making up for lost time.”
“I see.”
“No you don’t, Celia.” There was a spark of anger in Maude’s eyes. “I know I shouldn’t have encouraged Pete but in the end nothing came of it.”
“What about the night you asked me to stay out of our room?”
“Pete called it off. Anne had been given some special invitation to a fancy invite-only cocktail party and they went to that. It was in the Diamond Lounge or somewhere. I went looking but couldn’t find it.”
Celia felt a surge of relief but then remorse at the miserable look on Maude’s face.
“In Noumea they ended up taking a different tour to the rest of us.” Maude plucked at the hem of her dress. “The others are nice people but it isn’t as much fun when Pete’s not there.”
Celia couldn’t bear to see her friend so sad.
“What about pre-dinner drinks?” she said. “It’s formal night again. We have to glam up. We should get our photo taken.” Celia put a hand to her cheek remembering the last formal night. Her bruise had faded but she must ask Josie to take special care to cover up any remaining discolouration.
“You didn’t want to last time.”
“I wasn’t feeling up to it but tonight I will be.” Celia smiled. “A memento of our cruise.”
“What time?”
“For drinks? Six-thirty in the club bar above the atrium.” Celia threw a few items of jewellery and some cosmetics in a bag. She wanted Josie to show her how to make the best of the make-up she owned. She plucked the dress she planned to wear tonight from the wardrobe.
“Where are you going with all that?”
“To Ketty’s.”
“Oh. She seems to be flavour of the month now. I didn’t think you went for her much.”
Celia opened her mouth, closed it again. “I was wrong about her. She’s actually very warm and generous, and she’s going to show me a few style tricks.”
It was on the tip of Celia’s tongue to invite Maude but a girls’ afternoon wasn’t something she imagined Maude enjoying and Celia didn’t want to spoil the fun she knew would be happening in Ketty’s room.
“I’ll see you at six-thirty.” She opened the door and the last she saw of Maude was her sitting rather forlornly on the end of her bed.
Ketty made her way back up the stairs with her box of chocolates and as she rounded the corner nearly ran straight into a woman coming down.
It was Christine. She looked at Ketty, no doubt as surprised to run into her as Ketty was. Ketty had no desire to lock horns with that young woman again but she looked as if she’d been crying and that tugged at Ketty’s heartstrings.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“No.” Christine shook her head and smoothed the hair on the top of her head with her hands. “I looked for you earlier today actually.”
“I was in the day spa most of the morning.” Ketty glanced down at her nails. The young technician had talked her into a deep red colour. She still wasn’t sure it was right but she’d had a delightful morning indulging herself with a massage and facial and manicure, another part of her birthday treat.
“That would have been lovely.” Christine smiled.
Ketty thought she should do that more often, she looked so much more attractive.
“Ketty, I want to apologise.”
A group of people trooped down the stairs and Christine drew Ketty to one side.
“For what I said at dinner last night. My behaviour was unacceptable and I’m sorry.” Christine tugged at the shoulders of the singlet top that she looked dangerously close to falling out of. She glanced at the floor then around as if she was looking for inspiration.
“Thank you,” Ketty said.
“I’ve caught up with everyone else and apologised.”
“That’s good.”
“Did you hear about Jim’s drama?”
“No.” Ketty had a sudden flash of concern. She hadn’t seen any of her fellow diners since last night. “What’s happened?”
“Nothing really but Celia thought he was missing and we had to tell the purser and—”
Another woman came puffing up the stairs, almost bumping into Ketty.
“Hello, Maude.”
“Oh, Ketty, hello.” Maude looked from Ketty to Christine. “Sorry, had my head down and my bum up, so to speak. These stairs will be the death of me.”
“I’m sure the exercise keeps us from rolling off at the end of the cruise.” Ketty chuckled. “They spoil us with all the good food, don’t they? Have you met Christine? She’s one of my fellow evening diners. This is Celia’s roommate, Maude.”
The two women gave each other cursory hellos.
“Celia said you were having a get-together to get ready for tonight,” Maude said.
“That’s right. I love to play with clothing, see what suits best, tizz it up a bit with jewellery.”
Maude sniffed. “Well, I won’t keep you.”
Ketty thought her face was positively maudlin. “Are you off to meet your friends?” Ketty studied Maude closely, wondering if her ploy to send Anne and Pete off for some special together-time had worked.
“No, not today.” Maude sighed. “Just back to my cabin.”
“Me too.” Christine took a step away. “Now that I’ve seen you, Ketty, I can go and stick my head under a pillow.”
Maude gave her a quizzical look.
Ketty thought both women in need of some cheering up. “Why don’t you two come and join Celia, Josie and me?”
Maude’s face lifted in a smile and then dropped. “I’m not much of a one for tizzing things up, as you say.”
“Doesn’t matter. The more the merrier. It’ll be fun. Please join us. What do you say Christine?” Ketty hoped Celia and Josie wouldn’t mind. “There’s champagne.”
Maude’s face lit up fully this time. “If you insist.”
“Perhaps for a while,” Christine said. “Frank’s gone with Dad to do some horse race thing.”
“Good, I’m up on the next deck,” Ketty said. There was a soft groan from Maude as they set off.
Both women stopped in awe as she opened the door to her cabin.
“I didn’t know there were rooms like this,” Maude said.
“This is amazing.” Christine walked straight to the pearls and picked up a strand.
Ketty had just poured the champagne and rung room service for more glasses and another bottle when there was a knock on her door. She opened it to welcome Josie and Celia. They both stopped short at the sight of Ketty’s extra guests as she ushered them inside. The looks on their faces were too precious for words.
Thirty-seven
Celia hadn’t been able to believe her eyes when Ketty had revealed Maude and Christine already inside her cabin. Now with a few champagnes each and Ketty in full swing suggesting styles and colours, everyone was laughing and talking like old friends. Maude had cheered up and was in a detailed conversation with Josie about the pros and cons of foundation application and Ketty was draping Christine in vibrant colours as alternatives to the black she was
so fond of wearing.
Celia put her empty champagne glass firmly on the bench. She’d had two already and was feeling light-headed. She poured herself some water, popped a caramel-filled chocolate into her mouth and watched Christine’s reflection in the mirror. Ketty was swapping the midnight blue scarf she’d draped below Christine’s chin for a softer blue blouse to show the difference the colours made to Christine’s complexion.
“The darker colour looks so much better.” Celia couldn’t help but join in.
Ketty swapped back to the deeper blue. “You could wear an ice blue if you wanted something lighter but I don’t have an example of the shade with me.”
“I like the midnight. It does make a change from my usual black.” Christine turned her head from side to side, admiring herself in the mirror. “If I’d known I would be doing this I would have washed my hair.” She fluffed it with her fingers. “It’s so thick and heavy and getting ratty.”
Celia noticed Ketty give Josie a questioning look. Maude had stopped talking and was working her way through Ketty’s collection of necklaces. Josie came around the bed to the desk where Christine was seated. She reached out tentatively and took a lock of Christine’s hair. “Can I suggest something?”
There was hesitation on Christine’s face, then she nodded.
“You’ve got beautiful hair and you’re lucky it’s so thick but I think it could do with some layering. I also think it would lend itself to putting up in a style. Take it away from your face.” She swirled sections of Christine’s hair and piled them on her head. With the deep blue scarf still draped across her chest, Christine looked suddenly younger.
“Perfect.” Ketty clapped her hands. “Did you know Josie’s a talented hairdresser?”
“Are you?” Celia and Christine spoke at once.
“Not professionally any longer but I trained in my younger days. It was my first job and I’ve worked in salons at various stages in my life, although not for a long time now.” Once more she made eye contact with Christine. “I could cut it for you if you like. Just a tidy up, nothing major.”
Celia barely caught Christine’s nodded response because Ketty had thrown an arm around her and was guiding her to the wardrobe where articles of clothing hung from the open doors.
“I’m so excited you’re my size, Celia. I’ve brought so many things with me I’d love you to choose something to wear tonight. Which colour is your favourite?” Ketty pulled out two dresses. One was cornflower blue satin with tiny sprigs of white flowers in the sheath style she preferred but with more shape to it. The other was a pale shade she would describe as lavender or even blue, with tiny beads that glinted in the sunlight coming through the open door. Celia’s heart skipped a beat.
“What colour do you call that?”
“Periwinkle.” Ketty held it under Celia’s chin.
“Can I try it on?”
“Of course. Try several.” Ketty took out a softly draping dress in carnation pink and a floaty chiffon in pale green.
“Humph!” Maude snorted and nodded at the clothing. “Nothing there would go on my big toe.”
“But I have plenty of accessories, Maude,” Ketty said. “I’m sure I can find you something. What will you be wearing tonight?”
The two women drew together leaving Celia holding the periwinkle gown Ketty had thrust at her. She ran her hands over the sheer fabric feeling the roughness of the tiny beads beneath her fingers. Now that she had a closer look, the neckline would be revealing. She clutched it to her trying to imagine herself in such a glamorous dress.
“I think that’s the one.”
Celia spun at the sound of Ketty’s voice low in her ear. Beyond her Maude was swapping between a long strand of pearls and a set of glittering beads.
“You can try the others but the periwinkle is the perfect colour for you. It’s organza, a remarkable fabric on its own, but I love the subtle embroidery on this.” She lifted the hem and touched it to Celia’s cheek, her penetrating look pinning Celia to the spot. “The beads will highlight the sparkle in your eyes.”
“Did you get a chance to talk with your dad? I know he wanted to catch up with you.”
Josie’s hands rested gently on Christine’s shoulders as she looked up at the older woman’s reflection in the mirror.
She could see no hint of hostility in Josie’s look.
“I did.”
“That’s good. I hope you had a chance to clear the air properly.”
Christine wondered how much Josie really knew. Bernard had said he’d explained everything to Josie but did she know Christine had asked him for money? Did she know about Christine’s undermining of his early relationships after her mother had died?
“We had a long talk,” she said.
“Good. It’s early days yet between your dad and me.”
Josie began to play with Christine’s hair while she talked. It was surprising she was being so gentle after the previous evening’s confrontation but Christine soon relaxed. Warmth flowed from Josie’s hands, as she gently massaged her scalp and swirled strands of her hair in different ways.
“I like your dad a lot, Christine. I hope we’ll keep seeing each other back in Brisbane and I’d like to get to know you better too.” She piled Christine’s hair on top of her head again and tugged out some tendrils to fall softly down her neck. “I don’t have a daughter. My boys would barely sit still long enough for me to brush their hair let alone cut it. I promise I won’t do anything you don’t approve of.”
“Why don’t you pop back to your cabin.” Ketty said. “Wash your hair, get the clothes you’re wearing tonight and come back for a proper makeover?”
Christine glanced across at Ketty then back at Josie who was smiling at her in the mirror. “I would love to have something done with my hair. I haven’t had time to get to the hairdresser since…well, I can’t remember when my last appointment was.”
“Off you go then,” Ketty said.
The door shut behind Christine. She moved along the corridor a little way then could go no further. She slumped against the wall, fighting back the tears. Her nose began to run. She dug in her pocket for a tissue but couldn’t find one. She straightened as a couple came round the corner towards her, wiped her nose with the back of her hand and blinked hard. She couldn’t believe how kind the other women were being after her tirade. Celia was still a bit reluctant to get too close and Josie had been cool at first but everyone had eventually relaxed. Ketty was everywhere, offering suggestions for clothes and colours, lining them up for make-up advice with Josie and keeping their glasses filled. Christine had stuck to water.
Josie had been so nice about her hair and was doing her best to be kind but Christine was still aching with hurt over her father’s decision not to give her any money. And when he’d told her he’d changed his will as if Christine was a conniving money-grabber, she’d crumpled inside. Is that what he honestly thought of her?
She waited for the couple to pass then moved on down the corridor. The excitement generated in Ketty’s room had helped ease the shock of her father’s news. Alone with her troubled thoughts the sorrow returned.
Maude and Celia were trying on some of the jewellery Ketty had set out so she took the opportunity to draw Josie onto the balcony.
“Thank you for being so kind to Christine.” Ketty kept her voice low, not wanting the other two women to hear. “I know it can’t be easy for you.”
“I’m doing my best,” Josie said. “I want this to work with Bernie and I don’t want to come between father and daughter in the process.”
“That’s very wise.” Ketty moved to the rail and drew in a deep breath of Coral Sea air. “That young woman needs mothering and you’re the perfect person.”
“Now hang on, Ketty.” Josie came to stand beside her.
“She needs some nurturing, that’s all. Her mother’s been gone a long time and I think Bernard’s way of dealing with his daughter’s grief was to throw money at it. She’s come t
o expect it. What she needs is the interest of an older woman. Someone to chat to about her children, let off steam about her husband if she needs to, a confidante.”
“Surely she’s got friends for that.”
“She probably has but I think she’d like her dad to be there for her more.” Ketty turned and smiled her sweetest smile at Josie. “You could be the bridge between them. Add the feminine touch to the relationship. Perhaps even give Bernard some guidance with how to deal with his daughter.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I’m not. I think Christine needs the counselling of an older woman in her life. If you and Bernard work out together, that role could be yours.”
Josie gaped at Ketty who grinned wider. “More champagne?”
Celia popped her head through the door. “Sorry, am I interrupting?”
“Not at all,” Josie said.
“Could I have a word, Ketty.” Celia glanced apologetically at Josie. “In private?”
“Do you have a clutch, Maude?” Ketty burrowed in her wardrobe, looking for the bags. Maude had tried on nearly every piece of jewellery Ketty had brought with her and she wanted something else to distract her with. After Celia’s revelation, Ketty’s head was buzzing with questions and she needed to clear her thoughts and concentrate on her ladies. Her hands found the soft pouch with several clutches inside. She lay them on the bed and once more Maude pounced.
“I’ve also got some shimmering gold nail polish,” Ketty said, eyeing Maude’s bright pink nails.
“That sounds perfect,” Maude gushed.
“Why don’t we do them now?” Ketty settled Maude on a chair.
Josie was blow-drying Christine’s hair at the make-up station she’d created, leaving the bathroom free. She made eye contact with Celia who was once again looking longingly at the periwinkle dress.
Ketty smiled and nodded towards the empty bathroom. “You actually have to put it on to know what it will look like.”
Table For Eight Page 38
