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Diana nodded. ‘Of course I do. And thank you for inviting us here this evening.’
He gave a gallic pout. ‘But of course, madame. We are a family; we remember our friends.’
He gave a smile and a small nod of his head and moved back into the cluster of other women who surrounded him with a great deal of fluttering, smiling encouragement.
Then they moved in a line towards a painted background canvas of a blue sea fringed with palm trees, and Raphaël was busy again taking individual photos of the captain with his guests.
Diana turned to us, smiling. ‘I remember Casper used to love this sort of occasion with all the guests clustering around him, making such a fuss about how clever he was; and he knew what a treat it was for the guests to be there, while at the same time just wanting to be back on the bridge or failing that, in his cabin with his shoes off, doing a sudoku.’
‘Well, aren’t you Miss Congeniality? You do realise every woman in the place hates you? A couple of them were trying to decide if you were a celebrity, and one thought you had been on Strictly.’
She laughed. ‘They obviously didn’t see me at the line dancing class.’
A couple came up to us, the man in an evening suit, the woman in bright pink satin with a turquoise necklace. I noticed Evelyn glide silently away towards a tall, distinguished-looking officer at the edge of the party and start chatting as though they were old friends, which knowing Evelyn, they probably were.
‘Hello again, dear. It’s us. Ken and Thelma, we met at the sail away party. I didn’t know you were famous.’
Thelma fixed Diana with a smile and a gimlet gaze.
‘Ah, yes,’ she said, ‘well, not actually famous. How nice to see you again.’
Ken was obviously more interested in the buffet.
‘Thelma, those vol-au-vents are going fast, do you want me to get you a couple?’
Thelma didn’t reply, but passed him her empty plate.
‘So how are you getting on so far? Are you enjoying yourself? I haven’t seen you round and about and Ken and I are usually good at spotting interesting people.’
‘Oh, we are having a great time,’ I said. ‘I hope you are too.’
Thelma laid a beringed hand on Diana’s arm. ‘So much better than last time. They really have made such a lot of improvements. And you are no stranger to life on board I hear? Quite the sea dog.’
‘Well I’ve been?—’
‘We are too. Once Ken retired, there was no stopping us. We’ve been all over the place; the Baltic, the fjords – so scenic although when you’ve seen one fjord you’ve seen them all, the Med of course, the Canaries, Alaska although we couldn’t understand why it was so cold. We’re planning a trip to Egypt next year. Ken took some persuading because he doesn’t like the sand or the heat, but I said it would be fun, and who doesn’t want to ride on a camel?’
Well, me actually, but I didn’t think it wise to say so.
‘So how do you know the captain?’
‘He worked with my husband for a while,’ Diana said. I could tell she was wondering how to break Thelma’s grip on her wrist.
‘As a crew member?’
‘He was a captain too,’ she said, ‘for many years.’
Thelma’s eyes sparkled with excitement. ‘So you got friends and family discount. I bet that was worth having. I’d be glad to have a friend like you. Is he here?’
I imagined endless cruises with Ken and Thelma in tow and stifled a small, worried whimper.
‘No, I’m afraid he died; this is the first cruise I have been on without him.’
Thelma’s face collapsed into sorrow. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. How are you?’
Diana took a deep breath. ‘I’m fine.’
Her grip on Diana’s arm tightened. ‘Yes, but how are you. Really?’
