‘What a twee brooch, is it very old?’ Genie looked genuinely interested.
‘I think so, last century anyway. It was my grandmother’s and Ma said I should have it now.’
‘How wonderful to inherit something like that. Anything really.’ Genie looked thoughtful for a moment and then, when there was a break in the others’ conversation, leaned across Spencer and said, ‘Did I hear your aunt talk about some dazzling jewels, Eloise?’
‘Yes, she’s got a ton of them.’ Eloise all but rolled her eyes back. ‘She was married to William Archer the third. A perfect husband for her, Mama always said to me.’
‘Why’s that?’ Genie asked. ‘Was he very handsome?’
‘Handsome? Heavens no, but he had two of the best qualities you can hope for in a husband.’
‘A sensible head on his shoulders and a generous spirit?’ ventured Fen.
Eloise laughed. ‘No, a vast fortune and a dicky heart!’
‘Eloise!’ Genie’s jaw dropped at the scandalous joke but wanted to know more. ‘So what did he give her? Is she dripping with diamonds?’
Eloise leaned in closer. ‘Well, there’s the Cartier tiara that Uncle William bought in Paris before the Great War. And heaps of earrings – you know those dangly drop ones with beautiful pear-shaped pearls. Oh and a rope of beads…’ Eloise paused, and Fen could see that she was almost baiting Genie with her description, as the poor girl’s face had fallen slightly at the sound of mere beads.
Moments later and Genie’s chin was almost on the floor again as Eloise said, ‘… Beads of pure opal, each one as large as the end of my little finger. And diamond brooches and bracelets, gold bangles, some more pearls…’ She was using her fingers to tick the jewels off the list. ‘But the tiara’s the star. Worth a fortune.’ She turned to James all of a sudden. ‘I bet your family have something similar, don’t they. All the old families do. They’re just part of the furniture for us. As exciting as inheriting the contents of the linen closet or Grandpappy’s old motorcar.’
‘I’d be pretty happy with the last two, let alone a family tiara,’ Fen said, amazed at how easily Eloise could dismiss the near-priceless jewels as nothing more special than pillowcases or sheets. ‘I suppose your aunt must be locking them up for safekeeping? During the voyage, I mean.’
The waiter interrupted them again, but this time with a tray of drinks.
Once they were distributed, Eloise took a sip from her champagne glass and then replied, ‘I don’t see the point. Aunt Mariella can wear the tiara for the gala dinner tomorrow night, and by the time she’s asked the captain to put it in the safe and then get it out again, and then put it in again… well, we’ll be in New York by then, I bet, and she’ll have to ask him to—’
‘Take it out again,’ Genie finished her sentence. ‘Gosh, wouldn’t you just kill to have a tiara like that?’ She looked at Eloise and Fen, gauging their response. ‘No? I would simply love to wear one. And no offence to your aunt, Eloise, but boy are those jewels wasted on her!’
Eloise pealed with laughter, obviously finding it hilarious that there was someone on board who would dare say anything against her aunt.
Genie took the laughter as encouragement to continue. ‘I mean, don’t you think I would look so much better in a tiara—’
‘The Princeton tiara,’ Eloise cut in.
‘Exactly, the Princeton tiara,’ Genie winked at her. ‘And head to toe in diamonds and pearls.’ Genie wiggled her fingers as her hands floated down her front.
‘Not forgetting ropes of opals and golden bracelets.’ Eloise was enjoying herself and Genie laughed too.
Spencer, however, was looking uncomfortable and butted his way into the ladies’ conversation.
‘Hey-ey-ey,’ he raised his hands. ‘You don’t need any of those diamonds and pearls, sweetheart.’
Genie, flushed with excitement, agreed with him. ‘You mean I’m ornamental enough myself?’
‘Yeah, yeah, cookie, that’s right, and once we get to New York, I’ll buy you your own ta-ra-ra, and whatever beads you want.’
Eloise tittered at Spencer’s mispronunciation of tiara and Fen had to admit that his braggadocio was quite amusing. She was almost expecting him to round it all off with a ‘bada-boom, bada-bing’ like the comics on the wireless said.
‘Please, Fen,’ Eloise whispered while everyone was laughing. ‘Stay on board with us until New York? You can see what a gas we’ll have!’
Fen was about to make her apologies and was shaking her head when James stood up.
‘Fen,’ he said, rather sternly.
Eloise looked up at him and even Genie and Spencer stopped cooing at each other to hear what would follow.
James blushed slightly, but carried on. ‘Come outside with me, onto the deck. I’ve got something I need to tell you.’
13
‘What is it, James?’ Fen shivered as she pulled the cardigan close around her. ‘And can’t we talk inside?’
‘No,’ James replied, taking off his greatcoat and wrapping it around Fen. She was about to refuse, but he insisted and looked happy enough in his dinner jacket. ‘Unless you promise not to scream or shout at me.’
‘Oh, James, you’re getting me worried now. And when did you buy that dinner jacket by the way?’
James looked down at his feet. ‘In Paris. Just after we bought our passage.’
‘Why am I getting the impression that you’re about to tell me something I really don’t want to hear?’ Fen shivered again, the warmth from the coat not yet catching up with the chill that had gone through her as they’d stepped out onto the damp deck. The rain from earlier had cleared and the lights from the deck twinkled in the clear moonlight. Even though the drizzle had gone, there was dampness in the air, this time from the sea below them, which could be heard, above the growl of the engines, slapping against the steel hull of the ship as they carved their way towards England. Fen prodded James again for an answer. ‘James?’
‘It’s the voyage, Fen,’ he said, shoving his hands into his pockets
