And she’ll get it too,thought Cherry darkly. Brigitte would be hired without a thought for those who’d worked hard to gain a foothold in the industry—those who were more qualified, more passionate, and who would probably be ten times better. Those hopefuls would be pushed aside, and it wouldn’t even register with her.
“What do you do, Cherry?” asked Brigitte.
“I’m a real estate agent.”
“Bet you get to see some nice houses.”
“I do.”
Brigitte nodded appreciatively and that seemed to be all that was needed to be said. Cherry noted how she’d naturally assumed or expected the houses to be nice. Perhaps she didn’t know small flats in large ugly blocks existed.
Nicole started to apply some suntan cream. She poured a small amount onto her hands, then slowly and sensually rubbed it onto her skin, inspecting her arm as she did so, seemingly pleased with it. She sat up and started to rub the tops of her shoulder blades. Stretched a little to try and get to the middle of her back. Shegave a cursory glance at Brigitte, lying down with her eyes closed, and then turned to Daniel.
“Excusez-moi,could you pleeze . . . ?” she said, holding out the suntan lotion.
All of Cherry’s hackles went up. He looked on, unsure, a little embarrassed, then held up his beer bottle. “My hands are cold, you’re better off asking Brigitte,” he said pleasantly.
She didn’t,noticed Cherry,the conniving little bitch.Just smiled and lay back on her lounger.
The French woman in the apron came to the doorway and Isabella looked up. “Wonderful!” she said. “Madame Baudin says dinner is ready. Shall we eat outside?”
Brigitte got up and slipped on a flowing kaftan. Nicole stood and stretched languorously in her bikini, then went inside to freshen up, Brigitte at her heels.
“I’m sorry,” mouthed Daniel, and Cherry smiled and waved a hand to indicate she wasn’t going to be unsettled by a silly French girl. He waited until Nicole and Brigitte were out of earshot and then said: “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” she said.
Laura came out of the villa with Madame Baudin, laden with plates and glasses, and Daniel jumped up to help. Cherry took a moment to catch her breath. All she wanted to do was go somewhere private with Daniel, a nice restaurant or something, and yet she had to endure a dinner with these people. There were pretty good odds that either Brigitte or Nicole would sit next to Daniel at the meal, neither of which she thought she could stand. The breeze lifted her skirt and she was glad she’d brought a cardigan. As she went to put it on, she saw another piece of fabric flap in the wind. It was something of Nicole’s, a dress perhaps, half-spilled out of her bag. Cherry looked up. Daniel and Laura were disappearing back into the villa with Madame Baudin to get more plates. There was no sign of the girls. Isabella had her back to her and was carefully arranging glasses on the table.
It fell with a lightplipand the pink darkened and spread in the water. The breeze gently moved it farther down the pool and ittook on the shape and stillness of a drowned body. Cherry was already over by the large table.
“Can I help?” she said to Isabella.
She looked surprised and pleased that this outsider guest was not too grand to help and handed her a pile of forks. “Thanks.”
Cherry began to carefully lay them out and suddenly knew how best to play this woman who would not like her to outshine her own daughter. She buried the perverse urge to do just that, it wouldn’t exactly be hard; Brigitte was clearly thick as mince. No, instead she’d pretend to be polite and pleasant, meek almost.
“Hey!” exclaimed an outraged voice, and Cherry idly lifted her head.
“My dress is in zee swimming pool!” Nicole looked angrily around and stopped when she came to Cherry.
Not intimidated, Cherry met her gaze, cutlery clutched in both hands.
“What’s happened?” said Brigitte.
“My dress! It is soaking!”
“It must have been the breeze,” said Daniel.
Nicole was forced back inside and had to borrow something of Brigitte’s while the sodden dress was hung over a lemon tree. Cherry found herself next to Nicole at dinner. Daniel was on the other side, next to Isabella.
“Poor you,” Cherry said in her ear. “I hope it’s not ruined.”
* * *
Later that night, Cherry and Daniel lay curled up together on crisp cotton sheets. Their room was facing the back; when Cherry had closed the shutters, the sea had looked black. She was looking forward to throwing them open in the morning and seeing it clear blue on a new day. In fact, she could hardly believe her luck. The villa was incredible and the location dreamlike. The rest of the weekend was going to be spent with Daniel as much as she could possibly manufacture it.
“I’m sorry again about tonight,” he murmured, nuzzling her ear sleepily.
