Chapter 19
There were twenty of us booked in to the guided tour, and we met up with our guide Iris exactly on time.
I recognised some faces already. Don standing at the front in a battered Panama hat with his wife Belinda.
Everyone else was clustering around chattering about the ship and what they were hoping to see on the trip.
Iris switched on her microphone and there was a screech of feedback, which alerted everyone.
She started off with a brilliant smile. ‘Welcome to the town of Opatija. The word means “abbey”, which is because of the abbey of St Jacob which was built in the fourteenth century and dedicated to St Benedict. The Romans were here of course and the Venetians. Many people have invaded and fought for Croatia over the centuries, and each have left their mark. But as we say in Croatia, Bez muke nema nauke, or as you would understand, no pain no gain. The Villa Angiolina, which we will see later, was built in the nineteenth century, and it made the town a place where people wanted to visit. The lovely climate and the beauty of the surroundings made it popular with royalty. Particularly the Hapsburgs. Many kings and emperors have come here for the health benefits…’
‘I’ve found a few people who might like to play bridge,’ Don murmured behind me. ‘I don’t suppose you ladies would like to join us? Make up the numbers?’
‘I don’t think so, thanks anyway,’ I said, turning back to Iris.
‘Don, take the hint,’ Belinda muttered.
‘The town became a health resort, and the Lungomare walk was created as a health benefit. We will be strolling along a part of it in a moment, so you can see the most famous landmark, the Maiden with the Seagull. The town is also famous for the wonderful flowers. There are camelias, bougainvillea, lavender. My name is of a flower which is now the national flower of Croatia, the iris. So if you would like to follow me.’
Obediently we trailed after Iris, repeating some of the walk I had enjoyed earlier that morning, but by then there were more people about and the path was occasionally crowded. There was a bit of a queue for the viewing platform in front of the famous statue.
‘This is lovely, you can see why rich people wanted to come here,’ Harriet said, while we waited for Don and Belinda to take their selfie.
‘And why so many people wanted to fight over it,’ Anna added.
‘We could have a proper bridge tournament if we got enough people,’ Don said, edging his way between us, obviously not prepared to give up without a struggle. ‘I might even be prepared to rustle up a trophy from somewhere.’
‘Not at the moment,’ Anna said, ‘thanks all the same. I don’t think we would be up to your standards.’
‘And we have already won one trophy on this holiday,’ Harriet said sweetly, ‘so it wouldn’t be fair to take another, would it?’
Don gulped and looked a bit confused. Belinda gave him a wide-eyed furious stare.
Iris was an excellent guide, taking us to see the most notable landmarks, the villas and gardens and some little churches which were all closed because, as she explained, it wasn’t Sunday.
All too soon the tour was over. We thanked Iris for her informative narration and dug into our pockets for some euros to give her.
Back at the ship we could see a lot of people milling about, coming onshore to explore the little streets, or take advantage of the delightful cafés which were doing a brisk trade.
‘Ah, there you are, did you have a good walk?’ someone called out as we passed.
It was Evelyn, accompanied by Marjorie, sitting at one of the shaded tables next to the water. They had coffee and some enormous squares of cake in front of them.
‘We are having such a nice time. We have discovered Krem?nita – custard slice. It’s really delicious. You must try some,’ Evelyn said, ‘probably a million calories.’
‘I had a moment of sublime clarity this morning. I decided that today I was going to eat sensibly, drink less and exercise more,’ Marjorie said.
‘Oh yes? So how does this fit into your plan?’ Evelyn said disbelievingly, pointing at the cake in front of her.
‘Well, that was a couple of hours ago and I hadn’t woken up properly. Anyway at this point in our lives, why not?’ Marjorie said, stabbing a fork into her cake.
Evelyn chuckled. ‘And what point would that be? I’m not sure and I bet you don’t either. By the way, Lizzie, your young man is on board on a sun lounger. If you were looking for him?’
‘No, I wasn’t,’ I said.
‘I would if I were twenty years younger. I’d be after him with a butterfly net and a Taser.’
‘Marjorie!’ Evelyn exclaimed in mock horror. ‘What would Henry say?’
‘What he always says. Yes, dear.’
‘By the way, Don is still looking for bridge players,’ I said, eager to change the subject. ‘He’s very keen on having a tournament, so beware.’
‘I have no intention of spending my time playing bridge with him,’ Evelyn said. ‘I have the feeling he might turn out to be very tedious. And hard to get rid of if he sensed a weakness. My mother’s advice when it came to difficult people was be yourself and just say something nice.’
Marjorie tutted. ‘Make your mind up, I can’t do both.’
‘I read a splendid thing the other day – how to stop people talking,’ Evelyn said, ‘and I can’t wait to try it. Take off one of your socks mid-sentence and hand it to the other person without a word.’
‘Please let me know when you are going to do that,’ I said, ‘I’d love to watch.’
Evelyn smiled. ‘I will, dear. Never fear.’
* * *
Anna was very insistent that as it was only half past twelve and lunch on board didn’t start until one o’clock, we needed to go back to the dress shop she had found, and so we followed her.
It was a sparkly looking place with a few elongated mannequins in the window and a svelte young assistant inside, who was arranging some necklaces on a white plastic branch.
‘Ah! You are back!’ she said with delight when she spotted Anna. ‘I knew you would be, I have put that dress aside for you.’
Anna gave me her handbag to hold and was whisked away behind a white curtain to change.
Harriet and I looked around at the dresses, which were bright and colourful and garnished with a lot of gold, the very essence of cruise wear.
And yet today, with the sun shining down and the prospect of a holiday ahead of us, it seemed entirely appropriate to be seriously coveting a purple shift dress with a jewelled collar as well as a swirling turquoise caftan with a tasselled tie belt.
‘That would be a nice cover up after a dip in the pool,’ Harriet said encouragingly, ‘and that’s definitely your colour.’
‘I suppose so,’ I said, liking the silky feel of the material.
‘And you know it couldn’t possibly be tight; we could both get in there if the need arose. It would hide a multitude of sins.’
‘And this necklace,’ the young assistant said, sashaying over to us, ‘would make it even more elegant. It is made by a local craftsman. He is very sought after. Vrlo ?ik – very chic.’
She draped a length of jangling metal around my neck that looked as if it had been made from bits of bicycle chain and glass beads.
‘Or this perhaps?’
She added a gold rope with silver tassels on both ends and then frowned charmingly.
‘No, then you would be over-tasselled.’
‘That would never do,’ Harriet said, obviously trying not to laugh.
I turned and twirled in front of the full-length mirror, holding the caftan in front of me, and the bike chain necklace jingled rather pleasingly. And then I tried on the purple shift dress, which was also immensely stylish and flattering, even with me in it.
Back home I would never have considered such a purchase, but here with my determination to do things differently, and to try things out, it seemed perfectly okay.
Would I ever wear these dresses back home?
Probably not, but here they suddenly seemed just the thing.
I had paid for them and they were in one of the lovely, shiny carrier bags before Anna had even emerged from the changing room.
I felt very liberated and glamorous, and I liked it.
‘Ta-dah!’ Anna said as she pulled back the white curtain like a magician’s assistant and struck a pose, one hip stuck out sideways. ‘What do you think?’
‘Well, if we didn’t know you’d had a boob job before, we know it now,’ Harriet said.
‘It does rather show off your assets,’ I added.
‘Good,’ Anna said, ‘Rupert will love it, it’s just the thing to wear to the golf club summer fayre and Captain’s Drive Off. I’m definitely having it.’
‘We also have it in pink, madame,’ the assistant said hopefully.
‘Not my colour I’m afraid,’ Anna said, still admiring herself in the mirror. ‘It’s more yours, Harriet.’
Harriet gave the same raucous laugh I remembered from our school days.
‘I’d have someone’s eye out, or I’d have to wear a vest underneath it and I rather think that would spoil the effect.’
‘You have to buy something,’ Anna said, picking up a minute shirt covered in ruffles. ‘What about this? That’s pink.’
‘I don’t think so. I’ll pace myself and buy something later. Now, let’s get back to the ship and have something to eat. That ice cream was a very long time ago.’
* * *
Lunch was set out in the dining room on two long tables and instead of the usual beige buffet, there were huge ceramic bowls filled with all sorts of salads, wicker baskets filled with several sorts of bread, kebabs on wooden skewers and some very appetising-looking savoury tarts.
Plus, a beautiful display of cheeses and patés and the most luscious-looking olives.
We made our selection and went to sit down next to a window where we could see the people on the quayside, wandering about and enjoying the sunshine.
‘This is perfect,’ I said, ‘and it looks as though the new chef has appeared after all.’
‘Just as well,’ Harriet agreed, ‘otherwise Don and Craig would be kicking up a fuss. Did you try those chocolates last night? They are fabulous. I’m halfway through my box.’
A waiter came to ask if we wanted drinks and after some dithering we agreed the three of us would share a bottle of Malvazija Istarska, which the waiter assured us was a very popular white wine which went with everything. We didn’t argue, took his advice and discovered he was right.
‘This has been a splendid start to the holiday,’ Anna said, raising her glass in a toast. ‘Here’s to more of the same.’
Yes, it was. I felt jauntier and happier than I had for a very long time. And the food was lovely too.
‘Your Jack is right. I really am going to need a bigger suitcase,’ Anna said after a while. ‘I’m never going to get all these new things in my backpack. In fact, I never want to see that backpack again. I’m going to dump it somewhere.’
‘He’s not my Jack,’ I said, ‘I don’t know why you think that.’
‘Because it’s obvious he fancies you,’ Harriet said. ‘You really are out of things if you can’t see that.’
‘Tragic,’ Anna agreed.
‘Men of his age don’t fancy women of my age,’ I said, ‘they go for younger versions. Blondes with taut figures and irritating giggles.’
Perhaps even after all this time, the hurt was still there bubbling under the surface.
Anna rolled her eyes. ‘Just because dear old Freddo did, it doesn’t mean they are all like that. And anyway, that relationship didn’t go the distance, did it?’
‘Bruce did much the same,’ Harriet mused. ‘He’s living in Cheadle now with his new wife, her daughter who he says hates him and won’t talk to him, and his wife’s mother who is the same age as him.’
Anna and I burst out laughing at this, and after a moment Harriet joined in.
‘Talk about karma,’ she said.
* * *
‘I keep wondering how we managed all those years ago,’ Harriet said, ‘when we were travelling around with so little. I think we just used to sniff our clothes and wear the ones that ponged the least. Revolting really. It didn’t bother the boys at all.
In fact, I think Tom went into a fountain fully clothed on more than one occasion, hoping to clean up. It’s a wonder he wasn’t arrested.’
‘We’re more sophisticated now,’ I said, ‘and needier.’
‘Rupert once told me I was high maintenance,’ Anna said, with a bemused expression, ‘and of course I never have been.’
Harriet and I laughed out loud at this.
‘You jolly well are,’ Harriet said. ‘I remember you at school, forever rolling up the waistband of your skirt to make it shorter, and being told off for wearing makeup. Every time I went into the loo you would be there spitting into your block mascara and adding another layer. You could have given a Kardashian a run for their money.’
Anna laughed. ‘Do you remember the time I put on some fake tan in the lunch break? And during the afternoon the colour developed until I was bright orange. Miss Walker sent me out of Maths to wash it off. And of course I couldn’t.
And then I got sent to the head who would have been furious if she hadn’t been so confused.
I can hear her now: Why would you do such a thing, Anna? ’
‘Gosh, they were an awful group of women, weren’t they?
’ I said. ‘I think some of them actively hated us for being young and for having the opportunities they didn’t.
I’ve just remembered one of the games teachers grabbing me by the collar and positively growling in my face, Stop being so bouncy, Elizabeth.
You have no reason to be so pleased with yourself. ’
‘That had to be Miss Grant,’ Anna said. ‘She nearly slapped me once because I wouldn’t even try and climb up the rope in the gym. I had the upper body strength of a sloth, and about as much enthusiasm.’
‘I think only Patsy Moore ever got to the top,’ I said, ‘and she went to join the army when she left school and became a PT instructor. I bet she was a terror to the new recruits.’
‘She always did shout a lot,’ Anna agreed.
‘I expect she’s a brigadier now or something.
Now, what are we going to do this afternoon?
I’d like to sit up on deck in one of those loungers and start boosting my tan.
Then we set off for the next island at seven thirty.
We should arrive just after ten and moor up ready for tomorrow.
And of course there is dinner. I’m going to wear that new dress I bought today. ’
‘Let’s hope you don’t drop too much down the cleavage,’ Harriet said. ‘I’d be scooping crumbs out all evening if it was me.’
I twirled my wine glass for a moment and then finished the last few drops. What a lovely day this had been already, and I was looking forward to more of the same.
Then my phone pinged with a new message.
Ben
Isn’t this the cutest thing?
This message accompanied a picture of a young red-haired woman who was cuddling three kittens and smiling broadly at the camera. Closer inspection showed that she was sitting on the sofa in my living room. Hmm. I thought so.
Me
The kittens are cute or the young lady holding them? I assume that’s Jenna?
Ben
She did a house visit. *smiley face emoji*