Читать книгу A Greek Affair - Linn Halton B. - Страница 12

Short notice about the cruise is good – tomorrow, the fifteenth of May, is departure day. With my working life so busy and the workload mounting after a hectic Easter holiday period, it doesn’t give me any time to fuss. Just enough time, in fact, to sort things out at home and pack a medium-sized suitcase. Rosie does her own packing for her stay at Mum’s and decides that she’s going to take a few of her ‘test’ items with her. One is a disposable toiletries pack with more things in it than we have in our bathroom cabinet.

When I drop her off I get a wonderful hug, until Scruffy – the dog who lives next door to Mum and Dad – sneaks under the fence and bowls into the garden.

‘Scruffy! You came to see me!’ Then Rosie is off playing and I’m already forgotten.

Mum, as usual, is a little anxious but trying not to show it.

‘Just remind me again what the itinerary is for this wonderful little trip of yours?’

I sigh. I’m a grown woman and still she worries.

‘In the morning, I’m catching the 7.25 a.m. flight to Nice from Gatwick airport; then a shuttle bus will take me to Port Hercule, Monaco. Now stop worrying!’

I roll my eyes and she laughs.

‘Me? Worry? Never! Just take care of yourself and … well … have fun, anyway.’

She wasn’t going to say the have fun part, but one look at my face stopped her before she could begin reeling off the warnings.

Her hug tells me she won’t rest until she sees me again in three days’ time.

~

Nestling back in my airplane seat, I’m thinking first class would have been a nice touch. And I’m rather dismayed to find out that food and drink is no longer included in the price of the ticket. It’s only just over a two-hour flight to Nice airport but the time difference means you lose another hour on top of that.

It’s fast approaching one o’clock by the time the shuttle pulls into the vast car park at the port. I text Mum to confirm I’ve arrived safely and that everything is fine. A quick glance out the window confirms that it’s a bit of a walk with the luggage along Quai Rainier III. It stretches out rather magnificently, hovering above the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The guy sitting next to me on the bus has been quite chatty on the journey and I learn that he’s joining the ship for the remainder of the cruise. The next two stops are in Italy – Portovenere and Portoferraio – then it sails on to Corsica, ending the tour in St Tropez.

‘I’m only here for forty-eight hours to review the latest addition to Sun, Sea & Tide’s fleet. I gather it’s only six months old, although I’m not sure how many trips she’s already made,’ I tell him.

‘Interesting, so you’ve done this before then,’ he remarks, as we wait for the other passengers to alight. We’re sitting in the back row where we have a lot more room. It’s a bench seat for four people in total but he, too, is travelling alone and we both instinctively headed towards the rear of the bus. I still don’t know his name and I feel a little awkward now, suddenly asking.

‘Well, I haven’t, actually. This is my first experience of being on a cruise ship. It’s rather exciting. And you?’

‘My umpteenth trip,’ he replies with an engaging smile. ‘It’s an easy way to relax. You have the option of doing very little and simply enjoying everything on offer, or taking part in excursions and seeing the sights. I work in finance with long hours and lots of back to back meetings, so for me it’s about switching off from everything and enjoying some fresh air. Home for me is in Leeds, how about you?’

I nod, acknowledging it’s a full itinerary without the hassle of making all those arrangements.

‘The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.’

I wonder why he’s travelling alone. A cruise must be much more fun if you have someone with you to share the adventure.

‘Ah, a place I’ve yet to visit. I think it’s safe to make our way to the front. I’m Harrison Buchanan, by the way.’

He offers his hand and we shake, then begin to make our way along the narrow aisle between the seats.

‘I’m Leah Castelli.’

‘Is that an Italian surname?’

I swallow hard. This is a question I’m going to have to get used to answering from people who don’t know me and my history. ‘Yes. I met my husband when I was on holiday but we’re separated now. I still use my married name because I have a young daughter.’

I can see he’s embarrassed. ‘I’m so sorry, Leah, I didn’t mean to pry. Here, let me grab that case for you.’

He quickly lifts my case out of the trailer behind the shuttle and extracts the handle for me, before manhandling his own, rather large, suitcase.

As we follow the snake of people along the quay, taking time to admire the azure blue water that surrounds us, it’s obvious Harrison is a seasoned traveller. Maybe he’s even done this particular route before, as he seems to know his way around. I’m rather grateful I can simply follow his lead. My eyes are darting everywhere; I’m taking in as much of the detail as I can and suitable phrases are already jumping into my head in preparation for writing my article.

The lavish display of the lifestyle of the rich and famous is reflected in the sparkling white boats moored up, almost as far as the eye can see. This is how the other half live. As we walk towards the ship it seems to loom up like a huge, white mountain and it feels decadent. The sheer scale is breathtaking and as it gleams, with the beautiful blues of the sky and the sea as a backdrop, it almost looks unreal. Like some clever computer graphic that is so perfect it tricks the eye and the scene suddenly comes alive.

We are quickly welcomed aboard the Vista Blue by the cruise director and some other members of the crew. While we’re waiting for our cabins to be made ready we’re shown into a large room where there’s a buffet all laid out in readiness. Waiters circulate with glasses of wine, cocktails and soft drinks. I simply follow on behind Harrison and after we fill our plates he indicates towards a large table in the centre of the room. We exchange quick ‘hellos’ with the two couples already seated. He’s good at engaging people in conversation and it’s helping to alleviate my nerves as I settle myself down next to him.

As more couples join our table, everyone seems eager to share where they are from and their previous experiences onboard cruise ships. There is a real buzz in the air. Half an hour later our names are called and we are split into small groups. Just before we go off in different directions to be escorted to our cabins, Harrison turns to me.

‘Do you have any plans for after you’re settled in? We don’t sail until eleven tonight and it seems a pity not to spend at least a couple of hours sightseeing. What do you think?’

I wasn’t expecting that and I’m not sure if I should take him up on the offer.

‘I’d love to, but I ought to start work. It’s a huge ship and I want my report to cover as much as possible.’

He looks disappointed. ‘Okay. But as an experienced sea dog I know my way around a ship and I’d be happy to do the tour with you. This is actually my second trip on the Vista Blue, so I know the shortcuts.’

It’s tempting but I’m not sure I feel totally comfortable attaching myself to a stranger.

‘Nothing too strenuous,’ he continues. ‘We’ll catch a taxi into Monte Carlo, walk a part of the F1 circuit and then head off in the direction of the casino. You can’t possibly write a review without selling the benefits of a few hours in port now, can you?’

I find myself laughing at him. ‘Okay. I’ll trust that you’ll get us back in plenty of time before the ship sails. Or I’ll be in big trouble.’

‘I’m very trustworthy.’ He winks at me as we part ways.

At least our cabins don’t appear to be anywhere near each other and I fleetingly wonder if I’ll be glad of that fact.

‘I’ll meet you back here in an hour,’ Harrison calls over his shoulder. ‘Wear comfortable shoes, it’s quite a walk.’

‘This way,’ our stewardess calls and I quicken my pace to catch up with the little group to which I’ve been assigned.