Page 77 of Escape to the Sun

‘You must be Marcus.’ April swept into the conversation, hand extended in greeting. ‘I’m April. So lovely to meet you in person.’

‘You too, April.’

‘Captain, this is a bit of a departure from Blue Line’s normal policy, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to show some of Hope’s work. I meant to mention it. I hope you’re not cross with me?’

Louis grinned. ‘How could I be cross with you, April? Let me help to bring the pictures aboard.’

‘Is Hope not with you?’ April asked.

‘Her wheelchair didn’t fit with all the paintings. I said I’d go back and fetch her.’

Louis glanced at the pile of wrapped paintings. The haste to get them out of the van made sense now.

‘Perfect. Then she can help me decide where everything should go,’ April said.

A while later, and with a painting under each arm, Louis joined the small group in the gallery.

‘Those are the last two,’ he said.

‘Thank you, Captain,’ Hope said, wheeling herself towards him. ‘You could have left it to Marcus. He could do with the exercise.’

‘Hey now – who made two round trips to bring all your stuff, and you, here in the first place?’ Marcus sounded amused, rather than annoyed. Louis could imagine Hope was a force of nature, found himself fascinated to see her work.

‘Yeah, well. I can’t drive myself, can I?’

‘I know who we should get in on this,’ April said, smiling at Louis before she reached for the tape fixing some brown paper in place. ‘She’d love to see your work, Hope, I’m sure.’

Louis took and held a breath. He had a fair idea who April was going to suggest.

‘Hannah is one of the keenest artists I’ve ever had on a cruise,’ April said, straightening from the piece she was unwrapping and waving at a beautiful painting on an easel. ‘That’s hers over there. She says it’s still not finished… but then, art never is, is it?’

Hope laughed, shaking her head in agreement. ‘Never done. You got that right. But sometimes you got to let them go, otherwise we’d all be drowning in canvases.’

‘Yeah, and there’s not enough space in the shack for any more of your nonsense,’ Marcus added.

‘I think Hannah’s ashore, April,’ Louis said.

‘You have her number though?’ April looked at him, assessing his expression.

‘Yes, but…’

‘It would be good to give her the option, at least.’ April wasn’t backing down, so Louis pulled his phone from his pocket. He needed to talk to her anyway, after the previous evening. See if he was still in with a shot, or if life was reverting to the normal path on which he would be dumped for someone more… more what? He shook his head as he dialled. Take your pick…

Louis swallowed as he wondered if this was going to be the second time in his life that he would find himself plunging headlong towards losing the woman he wanted to love.

When Hannah picked up, the conversation was stilted. Already returning to the ship, she said she would head straight for the gallery. April looked pleased, unwrapping a stunning piece of artwork. Louis stayed to help. And to see Hannah.

Back on board, Hannah dumped her bags in her cabin and made for the gallery. She was intrigued to see the art April thought wonderful enough to add to the collection, and even though it made her mouth go dry, she needed to talk to Louis, too.

‘Ah, here’s Hannah,’ April said. She was standing opposite a tall man, dreadlocks to his waist, with a proprietorial hand on the back of a wheelchair in which sat a young woman with closely braided hair and a smile bright enough to light any room. Once introductions were made the discussion turned back to the art.

April held up a painting with Louis’ help as she chatted through display options. Hannah found it difficult to concentrate, not because she didn’t like the paintings – she did. They were incredible studies of native birds and animals, caught in motion. Birds took flight, lizards scuttled, sea turtles curved through azure ocean, green monkeys sprang through trees. The colours and techniques used to accentuate the movement made the paintings glisten. She wondered how much of the art’s movement was inspired by Hope’s lack of mobility. But Hannah’s concentration continued to fly towards Louis.

The idea was to have the paintings themselves in motion, too, as far as was practicable, to have them crossing the space as though they were moving. From the ceiling hung ready-positioned steel wires of varying lengths onto which Louis and Marcus attached the paintings back to back so the art could be seen from any angle. The effect was stunning and there was no sign of anyone faltering until Hope was completely happy with the finished display.

Once she and her brother had left, April wiped the back of her hand across her forehead.

‘I am literally exhausted,’ she said. ‘Would you mind if I took five minutes?’