Martine The Beginning (Cruising to Love, The Prequel) (23 page)

 
Penny and Lucas both thought it was a good idea.  Lucas took down the picture of him and Martine. 

 
“You should leave it up, Martine,” said Penny.  “The two of you look so much in love.”

 
“My granddad is coming back tomorrow from Spain.  I don’t want him to see it…”

 
“I understand totally.”

 
Lucas smiled.  “If you like, Penny, I’ll show you the two other pictures in this series.  They’re hanging on our bedroom wall.”

 
Martine turned scarlet.  But she didn’t say Penny couldn’t have a look.

 
They went back to the flat for dinner. Martine had cooked dinner tonight.  She was becoming domesticated very quickly. She’d bought herself a huge cookbook from the used book stall. 

 
She’d planned the dinner from this classic cookbook. Roast pork, with crackling, roast potatoes, apple sauce, gravy, green beans.  And an apple pie for after.  Her first ever pie. Her pastry was light and fluffy. She’d learned a lot at the bakery over the years.

 
They sat on the sofa after, with a small cognac each.

 
“Now, Penny, tell us all about your cruise…and your tour,” said Lucas.

 
“Well…the cruise was lovely.  Just lovely.”  Penny looked dreamy
.

 
Martine and Lucas looked at each other.

 
“Who did you meet, Penny?  Who made the cruise lovely?” asked Martine.

 
“Bertie.  Bertie was on the ship for the whole two weeks…” Penny replied, blushing slightly.

 
“Bertie?  Bertie who you danced with at the Cancer Dinner?”

 
Penny nodded.  “I’d told him of the cruise when we danced.  Well, actually when we took a break between dances and walked on the terrace, to cool down.  But he hadn’t asked for my phone number or anything, so it was a complete surprise when I saw him the first night, sitting at a table beside the dance floor.”

 
“Oh…”said Martine.  “How nice.”

 
“Yes, but he was with a gorgeous woman.  About my age.  Tall, just beautiful, dark hair, she was like a model.”

 
“Oh…”

 
“Elizabetta.  His sister.  Elizabetta Edwards.  She’s just separated from her husband, been married only a year.  He’s a pianist and she’d been travelling with him.  But they separated and she came home.  Bertie brought her on the cruise to cheer her up.”

 
“Oh.”

 
“Yes.  At our break he came up and asked me to join them.  I was so happy when I found out Elizabetta is Bertie’s sister, not his girlfriend. And she’s an artist, Martine.  She was a student at the Art School and she dropped out to travel with David, her husband. 

 
“Bertie thinks she should re-enroll.  She isn’t sure.  They have another sister, Francesca, who is in Australia.  Liz’s going there in a few weeks to stay with her in Sydney.”

 
“You like Bertie, don’t you, Penny?”

 
“Oh, I do.  He’s not film star handsome, but he’s very sexy in his own way…he’s a great dancer, and he really listens when you talk to him…really listens and gives value to what you say.”

 
“And?” Lucas asked.

 
“And…not much.  We chummed around a lot, the three of us.  They came every night to watch me sing.  Bertie thinks I’m very good. He took Liz and I around the Islands, usually in a Jeep he rented.  We had great fun, the three of us. There were two other girls who tagged along after the first Island. We danced in the nightclub every night, after the Blue Boys and I finished our shows…

 
“I think he might be rich, you know,” Penny added.

 
“You think he might be rich, Penny?” asked Lucas with a smile.

 
“Well, his uncle is, didn’t John tell me?  And his sister has the most divine wardrobe.  I think one pair of her shoes probably cost more than my entire wardrobe…”

 
“Ah, yes, his uncle is rich,” smiled Lucas.

 
“And he paid for everything.  When I offered to chip in, Liz just laughed at me and said, ‘Let Bertie, he’s enjoying treating you,’ so I gave up and let him treat me. He bought me a sapphire pendant for Christmas, he said it matches my

eyes.  And a sapphire bikini from a designer boutique on St. Maarten.
”

 
“Have you heard from him since you got back?” asked Martine.

 
“No.  No.  I wish I had, but, no.  He mentioned he was going to Austria, skiing for part of January.  So, we’ll see if I hear when he comes back. 

 
“That’s another reason I think he might be rich.  Can you imagine being able to treat your sister to a two week cruise, and then go off skiing to Austria for another three weeks?  You’d have to be rich to be able to do that.

 
“I’m afraid he’s pretty far out of my league,” finished Penny, sadly.

 
Lucas changed the subject.  “And now, tell us about your tour, Penny.”

 
For the next half hour, Penny told them about the tour.  It was a totally different experience to her tours with the Blue Boys.  The record company did everything first class, she told them.  First class hotels, first class transportation.  And her pay cheque surprised her.  She’d imagined the five thousand she got when she signed her contract would be it until she made a record, and hopefully started to get royalties. 

 
But now, now she was getting a cheque for a thousand pounds a week.

 
“What are you doing with the money, Penny?” asked Lucas.

 
“Saving most of it, Lucas,” was the answer.  “I’ve spent a little of it on clothes, but most of it

is in
the bank.  This is like a dream, and I’m just waiting to wake up.”

 
Penny went home at ten…they walked her home and on the way back, Martine asked Lucas, “What do you think about Bertie and Penny, Lucas?”

 
“I think he was on that cruise to see Penny,” replied Lucas. “I think he quite likes our Penny.  But he is rich, Martine.  He’s very rich.”

 
“His uncle told me he was quite taken with Penny, at the Cancer Dinner. In fact, he said Bertie fell in love with her across the room…like that song, Lucas.  You know,
Some Enchanted Evening
.”

 
“Ummm…did he now?  Sir Charles has an uncanny knack for seeing how people feel, Martine.  And he knows his nephew very well.”

 
“Penny told me Bertie kissed her very thoroughly on New Year’s Eve…but he hasn’t called her since they got back to England.”

 
“Hasn’t he?  Well, maybe Sir Charles is wrong this time, then.  Because, as you know, darling, I couldn’t wait to kiss you at every opportunity…

 
“I invited Bertie to our wedding, Martine. I’ve just done a small job for him.  So maybe he’ll ask for Penny’s number at our reception?”

 
The next day, Martine was sitting at the counter in the Gallery when the door opened and a stunning young woman walked in.  Tall, dark hair, very expensively dressed.

 
“Are you Martine?”

 
“Yes, I am.”

 
“Your friend Penny told me all about your Gallery on our cruise.  She said I had to come in and meet you.  I’m Elizabetta.  I think you’ve already met my brother, Bertie?”

 
Martine saw Bertie coming through the door, just behind her.

 
“Hello, Bertie.”

 
“Martine, so nice to see you again.” Bertie kissed her cheek. “Penny told us all about Belinda Boyle’s show, so my sister Liz and I have come to see it…but you look to have sold it all out.”

 
“Yes, everything sold opening night.”

 
The three of them walked around the Gallery.  Liz smiled at Martine.  “I know Belinda, albeit slightly.  We were at Art School together her first year.  Then I dropped out to get married. Now I’m back in London…Bertie thinks I should go back and finish the course.”

 
“Most of my artists come from the College, Liz, so if you do, I’ll always consider your work for my Gallery.”

 
“Oh, thanks.”

 
“Would you like a cup of tea, or coffee?”

 
“Tea would be lovely,” said Bertie.

 
Martine made a pot of tea, and got the biscuit jar out.  “Eh…Martine…your friend Penny is a lovely young lady, and so talented.”

 
Martine smiled.  “Oh, yes, Bertie she is.”

 
“I like her,” he said.  “I like her a lot.”

 
“I think she likes you a lot as well, Bertie, and you, Liz. She came to our flat for dinner on Sunday night and said how she enjoyed spending time with the two of you, told us how you took her sightseeing in a Jeep.”

 
“She’s a good sport,” smiled Bertie.

 
Liz laughed. “It seems to me that my brother has a bit of a crush on Penny, but for some reason he isn’t going after her in his usual suave and debonair fashion.”

 
“She’s very young, Liz,” admonished her brother. “She’s only twenty.”

 
“When did age matter to you, Bertie?” chided Liz.  “I’ve seen you out with Melissa Hargreaves, and she’s just turned nineteen since you dated her.”

 
“I never took Melissa seriously,” said Bertie.  “I was just acting as her escort for her coming out ball.”

 
“Ah,” smiled Liz.  “So you are taking Penny seriously?”

 
“She is just starting her career, Liz.  She’s worked hard to get to where she is.  She got that recording contract on her own merits, Liz, not because I fancy her.”

 
Martine frowned.  “Why would you fancying Penny have anything to do with Penny’s recording contract, Bertie?”

 
“I own Domino Records,” said Bertie, absently.  He studied Belinda’s abstract.  “I think I would have bought this if it wasn’t already sold, Martine.”

 
Martine was trying to digest what Bertie had just said.  He owned Domino Records.  “Bertie, does Penny know you own Domino Records?”

 
“No, I don’t think so.  And I don’t want you to tell, her, Martine.  I want her to like me for who I am.”

  Martine smiled. 
“She likes you already, Bertie. She’s liked you since you danced together at the Cancer Dinner.”

  Bertie gave Martine a huge grin. 
“Martine, that is the best news I’ve heard today.  This week, in fact.

 
“What my brother really means, Martine, is that he bought Domino Records after he found out Penny had signed with them, to make sure she gets every advantage.” Liz laughed. 

 
“Maybe your mood will improve now, Bertie.  Now you know the young lady really likes you.  But I could have told you that, from seeing the two of you on the ship.  Both trying to be cool and friends when you both really wanted to be hot and bothered…”

  Bertie smiled at Martine. 
“Would Lucas be in hot water, Martine, if I told you he organized the purchase for me?  Uncle Charles recommended I use him. 

 
“We didn’t tell you, because we didn’t want you to be tempted to tell Penny.  I still don’t want you to tell Penny, Martine.  Not until I’m ready to tell her myself.”

  Martine looked at Bertie and smiled. She was about to reply when the door opened and the young lady herself walked in. 

  Bertie lit up with delight.  “Penny! What a lovely surprise.  Liz and I came over to see the One Woman Show you told us about.”  He kissed both her cheeks.

  Penny blushed a little. 
“It’s lovely to see both of you,” she told them.

 
“Hi, Martine.  I just stopped by to show you my bridesmaid’s dress.  It came back from the seamstress, and I was going to try it on for you and see if she took the waist in enough…”

 
“Great idea, Pen.” answered Martine.  “Just go into the back or the bathroom, and call me when you’re ready.”

 
“Just come on out when you’re ready, Penny,” said Bertie.  “I’d love to see you in a bridesmaid dress.  Who’s getting married?”

 
“I am,” smiled Martine.  “Lucas and I are getting married a week Friday, on the 30
th
.”

 
“Ah, I hadn’t realized it was so soon. I haven’t bought you and Lucas a present yet….

 
“You know, Martine… my uncle thinks most highly of your Lucas.”

 
“I know he does, he told me.”