After returning to his suite for a bath and change of clothes, he went downstairs. There were a few guests chatting to Jake in the hall, and he could see through to the drawing room where small clusters of people sat around coffee tables having pre-dinner drinks. He found Marina in front of the fireplace with her four ladies. Pat and Veronica were giving an account of their excursion.
“You should come next time,” said Pat to Grace and Jane. “What we all need at our age is a little adventure. After all, one is only as old as one feels, and right now, I feel fifty.”
“It’s okay for you, Pat, but Jane gets terribly seasick, and I’m not that fond of the swell myself,” said Grace, lying back against the cushions, sipping champagne. In her cream cashmere and delicate shoes she didn’t look like she suited the outdoors, let alone the high seas.
“Perhaps if I took a pill …” said Jane meekly.
“Quite,” Pat agreed. “They make wonderful things now. Pills for everything.”
“I think we should take a nice walk along the cliff tops tomorrow,” Veronica suggested. “Then we can all enjoy an excursion together.”
“You can walk to Dawcomb-Devlish,” said Marina. “There are a few new shops there. Oh, hello, Rafa.”
The artist stood before them in a blue shirt and chinos, smelling of the usual sandalwood, his hair damp and tousled.
“Good evening,” he said politely. The women smiled up at him appreciatively.
“Do sit down,” said Marina. He took a seat on the club fender.
“What have you done with those crabs?” Pat asked.
“Clementine said she’s going to have them for dinner.”
“All of them?” Veronica exclaimed.
“She’s got a boyfriend,” said Marina in a half whisper.
Veronica raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Really?”
“Yes, some boy from town called Joe. Of course, we haven’t been allowed to meet him.” She glanced at Rafa. It was vital that Clementine seemed unavailable.
“Typical young people. When my daughter was her age, she had a boyfriend for over a year before we were introduced,” said Pat.
“I bet once you’d met him you realized why she had kept him a secret,” laughed Grace.
“You’re absolutely right, Grace. He was a shocker!”
“Not the right sort?”
“I’ve always been very open-minded when it comes to my children’s choices,” Pat replied magnanimously. “I’ve learned to accept that what makes them happy doesn’t necessarily make me happy. That’s true of Duncan. Perfectly nice fellow, just not my sort. He’s a journalist.”
“Oh,” said Grace with emphasis.
“So long as they make each other happy,” said Veronica to Marina.
“Yes,” she replied thoughtfully. “That’s all I ever want for her.”
At that moment Jake appeared to take them through to the dining room. “Will Mr. Santoro be joining the ladies?” he asked.
“No,” said Marina before Rafa had time to think of an excuse. “I’ll cook him pasta at home. I make a very good tomato sauce.”
“Our loss, your gain,” said Grace, getting up stiffly.
“You can have him all day tomorrow,” said Marina.
“I suppose you’re used to being fought over.” Pat grinned at Rafa, remembering Sue McCain and her Argentine lover.
“I’m flattered,” he replied.
“That’s not an answer,” Grace cut in. “But we’ll take it as a yes.”
They all laughed as they followed Jake from the room. Veronica hung back to walk with Jane, who smiled at her gratefully.
Marina and Rafa walked across to the stable block. A fat pigeon sat on the clock tower cooing at the weathercock.
“They’re a lively bunch, aren’t they?” said Marina.
“They’re all so different. I wonder what brought them together.”
“Art.”
“Really?”
“Yes. They joined the same art club in London and suffered at the hands of a monstrous teacher.”
“When are you going to paint?”
“I’ve got the whole summer,” she replied evasively.
“You don’t like painting?”
“I’m not very good at it.”
“That doesn’t matter. It’s the enjoyment that counts.”
“And I don’t have time.”
“Poor excuse.”
She smiled at him. “We’ll see. Right now, you have your hands full with the ladies and the brigadier.”
“You’re right about hands full. It will either be a disaster or a great success. The brigadier did not like the intrusion this morning.”