‘I haven’t got an agent, but they are paying me to go to Dominica, so I count that as part of my wages.’
‘I’ll let you off this time, but if you get any more work from these people, you must get an agent,’ said Susie. ‘You pay them commission but they earn that by selling rights on the books you illustrate.’
‘OK,’ said Cass. ‘Now, shall we finish this bottle before we go out?’
‘Let’s,’ said Rosa.
‘Tell you what, I really want to have a look at this Ranulph,’ said Susie. ‘See if he’s worth all the heartbreak.’
Cass pursed her lips; she was a bit annoyed. ‘Well, if he wasn’t in Africa, I’d definitely introduce you.’
‘Facebook, darling!’ said Rosa, pulling Cass’s laptop towards her.
Before Cass could do anything to stop her, Rosa had gone into Cass’s Facebook account.
‘You know my favourite crisps,’ said Rosa, ‘I know your passwords.’
‘Yes, but—’ Cass tried to take her laptop back but it was lifted out of her reach – ‘I haven’t been onFacebook for months.’ She hadn’t wanted to accidentally see pictures of Ranulph.
‘Here we are,’ said Rosa, who was showing zero loyalty, Cass felt. OK, she wanted to please her sister, but surely pleasing your best friend from primary school took precedence? ‘Oh, Ranulph hasn’t been near Facebook for months either.’
Cass exhaled deeply. He was probably trying to forget her, too, if he hadn’t already. After all, he hadn’t been in touch with her since their night in London. He was probably overcome with guilt.
‘But it’s OK because his friend and Cass’s, Becca, has been on Facebook!’ Rosa sounded delighted until she suddenly said, ‘Oh.’
Of course Cass couldn’t stop herself from looking. ‘Oh,’ she said louder.
On Becca’s Facebook page there was another of the group shots she favoured. There was a fairly long line of people, obviously in Africa. And there was Ranulph with his arm round Becca. He looked quite possessive.
‘Which one is he?’ asked Susie. When Rosa pointed Ranulph out, Susie said, ‘Yes, well, I see your point.’ She closed the lid of the laptop. ‘I think we should go and eat now. And if anyone half-decent flirts with us, we should definitely flirt back.’
Cass did her best. She drank more wine. She smiled. She laughed at other people’s jokes, and when a group of businessmen wanted to buy them Metaxa, she drank that too.
She did at least fall asleep quickly when they got back to the boat. But she felt dreadful when she woke up.
Rosa was in a bunk opposite hers. ‘Are you OK, Cass? Shall I get you some coffee or something?’
‘I’m OK,’ said Cass. ‘Just hungover, which is entirely my own fault.’
Too late she realised Rosa had been referring to her hangover. Cass had been thinking about her heartbreak, which had been woken out of its persistent but not acute phase into full-on agony.
Rosa sniffed. ‘I think Susie is making us bacon sandwiches. What a sister!’
‘There’s nothing a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea can’t cure,’ said Cass, smiling bravely although her head ached almost as much as her heart.
They ate breakfast sitting in the bow of the boat. Around them ducks and moorhens swam about, carrying on their day. Behind the houses was the faint roar of London, but here on the canal, all was calm.
‘This is such a lovely spot, Susie,’ said Cass. ‘And so kind of you to put me up again.’ She thought she sounded normal, as if her head wasn’t about to split and she didn’t feel like crying until there wasn’t a tear left in her.
‘Pleasure, treasure!’ said Susie. ‘It’s been such fun having you girls. And it’s been a privilege to share your wonderful news.’
For a few seconds Cass didn’t know what she meant by this. What wonderful news? Then she remembered. ‘Of course! Getting that illustration job and going to Dominica!’ she said. Then she became aware of the odd looks her companions were giving her. ‘Sorry, the Greek brandy seems to have gone to my brain.’
‘It’ll come back,’ said Susie, giving Cass a knowing look.
An hour or so later, they were at the station sipping cans of Coca-Cola as they waited to board their train.
‘So, do you know when you’ll go to Dominica?’ asked Rosa.
