Chapter 26
Ore
No one had said anything when the pair of them appeared together and sat down, although Ore was sure she’d clocked something of a ‘look’ exchanged between Chuck and Agatha.
The food was delicious, but Ore wasn’t hungry. The conversation with Claude had rattled her and then hermomentwith Daniel had left her all muddled up. Now she was having a hard time concentrating on the idle chit-chat around the table.
‘Was everything OK?’ Carlos frowned at the plate as he cleared it from in front of her.
‘Yes, it was lovely. I just feel a bit …’ She patted her stomach. ‘I’ve not quite recovered from the journey, I guess.’
Carlos huffed, displeased.
‘Would you ladies mind if we excuse ourselves for a moment? I’d hate to ruin the atmosphere by talking business.’ Ousman spoke quietly, with the sort of indiscernible accent that indicated a childhood spent in international schools.
‘Not at all,’ Agatha said with a giggle. Ore suspected she was a bit drunk.
The ‘men who want to talk business’ stood up and walked up the beach, leaving Ore, Daniel and Agatha at the table.
‘I’m going to help Oscar and Carlos load up the dinghy forthe first trip back. Let me know if you need me …’ Daniel started and then shook his head. ‘If you need anything,’ he corrected himself, before leaving the table.
Ore was left with Agatha, who poured herself another glass.
‘Having a nice time?’ Ore asked. She’d meant to keep her tone light, but it sounded a tad accusatory. Agatha bristled.
‘Yes, I am actually,’ she said, taking a sip. Ore felt like she’d got off on the wrong foot. ‘It seems you are too.’
It was a retaliatory jab. Ore knew that meant Agatha must have been able to make out something of Ore’s exchange with Daniel from the beach.
‘I love your dress by the way.’ It was almost true. She liked the colour, but the cut was a little too cutesy for Ore’s taste. It was more just something to say.
‘Thanks.’ Agatha looked like she couldn’t decide whether she believed Ore. They sat there a moment, each wondering if it was worth trying to start over conversationally.
Ore took the plunge. ‘It must be nice working for someone like Chuck. I mean, hell of an office, right?’
Agatha scoffed. ‘Are you trying to interview me right now?’
Ore felt deflated. It felt so long since she’d had a normal interaction with anybody, why was everyone on this boat so on edge?
‘No, sorry, I’m not trying to … I’m just trying to make conversation.’
Agatha stared at her for a moment, and Ore thought she spotted something akin to sympathy; then in a flash, it was gone.
‘Well I’d be careful who you’re making conversation with on this boat.’ Another swig, and a look that dared Ore to ask more.
‘Why do you say that?’ Ore took the bait, expecting yet another warning about Claude.
‘Well, you know there are spies everywhere.’ Agatha turned to look at Daniel. ‘I’ve been told that Chuck isn’t too happy about what you’ve been getting the staff to say about him behind his back.’
Ore didn’t say a word, but she was confused and a little irritated by the crypticness. It felt like schoolgirl gossip.
Agatha continued, ‘I know that you think you have something going on with Daniel, but everything you’ve said to him, just know that he’s feeding it back to Chuck.’ She looked like she was enjoying herself.
Ore was surprised by the strength of the feeling of betrayal. She didn’t even know if Agatha was telling the truth, but Daniel had promised her he was only supervising. He was the censor, sure, but he had assured her he wasn’t a spy.
‘I see,’ she said. She knew enough about schoolgirl gossip to realise that the reaction was everything, and she wasn’t about to give Agatha that satisfaction.
Inside though, Ore was reeling. She realised that whatever Agatha’s motivations, Ore had been naive to trust Daniel so implicitly. What had happened to her journalistic scepticism? Why had she been so quick to believe Daniel’s pure intentions? Because he was cute and because she suspected that he fancied her, and that was her weakness: her own damn ego. She’d reasoned to herself that she felt safe, that he was trustworthy, but where had that come from really? She barely knew the man.
