Back on Track, page 9
Even more exciting for Ketty were the tables covered with crisp white tablecloths and set with elegant glassware and gleaming cutlery. For a touch of intimacy, partial partitions made of delicately curved etched glass extended from the wall and along the seat back and divided each table from the next.
Lacey gave them a tentative smile as they passed but Birgit was so enthralled by her conversation with the two chaps she didn’t notice them. A few tables further along on the other side, Judith was engrossed in the menu, Tien was staring out the window and only Ning gave a small wave as they continued on along the aisle.
The waiter stopped at the last table. Ketty chose the seat with her back to the wall giving her a view down the entire carriage. She slid in close to the window. The blind was up and the plush fabric curtains hooked back so they had a full view of the ever-changing landscape as they rolled south towards Katherine.
“This is delightful,” Ketty said as Carlos slid in beside her. “The seats are so comfortable.” Ketty swept her gaze around the carriage again. “Almost like one of your ship dining rooms but for the shape.”
“You have a grand imagination, Ketty.”
She slipped on her reading glasses and picked up the menu. “A compact but fine array of choices, and look…” She tapped the map of Australia printed on the first page. “It even shows our approximate position. What a lovely touch.”
“I’m glad you’re impressed.”
Ketty removed her glasses and met his gaze. “You did try to tell me, didn’t you?”
Carlos smiled, raised his glass and tapped it against hers. “Here we are at last.” He was nothing if not diplomatic. Ketty felt a little giddy. Perhaps it was the champagne so early in the day but she was more inclined to think it was due to the effervescent happiness that bubbled inside her.
“To a wonderful journey,” she said and they both sipped their champagne.
“Thanks to you for letting me share or I wouldn’t be here.” His smile slipped away. “I’m still not sure how I let you talk me into it. We’re good friends, Ketty, but—”
“We are good friends and I’m sure we’ll work it out.” She took in his serious expression. “You’re not too bothered by our arrangement, are you?”
“I’m fine with it…” Carlos stared into his glass and fiddled with the stem.
“Sounds like there’s a but coming.”
“I get the feeling your staff aren’t very impressed. You have a reputation to maintain.”
“Fiddle! Surely at our stage of life we’re beyond caring what other people think.”
“You said yourself they’re already off their stride.” His face softened. “They’re your friends as well as your staff.”
“And they have to take me as I am.” Ketty lifted her chin and met his gaze. “As I do them.”
Another waiter brought water for the table. Ketty paused, watching as he filled their glasses then moved away.
“Carlos, we’re good friends,” she continued. “I feel that even more so since last Christmas when you spent time at my apartment and met everyone. And then video calling your delightful sister and seeing your Spanish family. I felt as if I knew them all well by the end.”
“I feel the same. It was good to get to know the people who love and care for you. That’s why I’m preocupado…you know, troubled by this current circumstance. People will read more into this cabin arrangement no matter what we say. I’m concerned for your reputation even if you’re not.”
Ketty took a mouthful of the water, uncertain how to proceed. Her relationship with Carlos would remain platonic. Several years earlier she’d thought she’d been given a second chance with Leo, the man she’d fallen in love with as a young woman. He’d hurt her badly back then. When she’d run into him again on her last cruise she’d thought perhaps they had a chance to try again. It had been foolish. Turned out Leo had been the same self-centred man he’d been in their younger days. Thankfully she’d seen through his smooth charm and attempts at romancing her and walked away. Carlos was nothing like Leo but she didn’t want to spoil their relationship. She wanted nothing more than friendship and she felt certain the feeling was mutual.
“You’re planning something,” he said, drawing her attention back to him.
“No.” She shook her head. “Just thinking about us.”
“I like the sound of that.” A brief cheeky smile creased his face and then was gone.
Ketty faltered, her thoughts from seconds ago fading already. Was he flirting with her? Carlos had always kept her at arm’s length, treated her as a friend.
“We’re sharing a cabin but there’s no more to it,” she said firmly. “We’ll be like brother and sister. If anyone wants to think anything else, let them. You and I know the truth and that’s all that matters. Besides, this makes me think of cruising, when I left behind plain, boring Ketty Clift—”
“My dear Ketty.” He grasped her hand. “You could never be described as plain or boring.”
She withdrew her hand from his. “I’m serious, Carlos. On a cruise no-one knew me. I could be like a chameleon changing my colour to suit the occasion. You of all people know how much fun I had. I can’t very well be someone different when my travelling companions are all people I work with and know me so well. Sharing a cabin with you at least gives me a point of difference to reality.”
Before he could reply their first waiter was back with a man and a woman who slipped in opposite. Ketty was a little disappointed it wasn’t the couple she’d observed earlier but she smiled widely.
“Hello,” the man boomed. “I’m Warren and this is my good wife, Val.”
“I’m Carlos.” Somehow the two men avoided all the glassware as they shook hands.
“And I’m Ketty.”
“My sister.” Carlos spoke so quickly Ketty thought she’d misheard.
She glanced at him but his gaze was fixed on the couple opposite.
“You look nothing alike.” Val stared at one then the other.
“We’re adopted.” Carlos was smiling now in that agreeable way he’d used to soothe many an upset passenger in the past.
“Oh.” Val sat back in her seat.
Ketty bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
“I’ve worked overseas a lot so we haven’t seen much of each other,” Carlos said. “We thought we’d holiday together so we could enjoy a catch-up.”
Ketty couldn’t believe he was still going on with the charade.
Warren’s huge grin split his round face in half. “What a good plan. Val and I are celebrating fifty years married. That’s why we’re on this trip.”
Val’s smile seemed more like a wince to Ketty. She wondered if the train trip had been a joint idea or only Warren’s.
“Congratulations,” Ketty and Carlos said in unison.
“Have you done a train journey before?” Warren asked.
“I have in Europe,” Carlos said. “But not long journeys like this and Ketty hasn’t either.”
“This is our fourth trip,” Warren said. “We toyed with the idea of a cruise this time but Val thought the train would be fun.” He gave his wife a nudge. “Isn’t that right, pet?”
Val made her wincing smile again and just below table level her finger prodded Warren’s side. This time it was he who grimaced. Already these two held more attraction than the couple back in the lounge car. Ketty’s people radar quivered into action. It had been such a long time since she’d left behind her cares and travelled she almost didn’t recognise the sensation. She leaned a little closer.
“Where’s home for you?” she asked, and then had to say little more as Warren told them all about the small town in Victoria where they’d both lived all their lives, how they’d been childhood sweethearts, the electrical appliance business they’d run there after taking it over from his father and how their son was now doing the same. Val interjected every so often to correct something Warren said and then they’d have a little squabble over who was right before he took up the story again.
When the waiter came to take their food order none of them had had a chance to decide.
“Stop talking, Warren.” Val bared her teeth this time. “We want to eat.”
“We sure do, pet.” He glanced at the waiter. “Sorry, can you give us a minute?”
Ketty picked up the menu again, eager to select something and keep her gaze averted. She still couldn’t make eye contact with Carlos for fear of laughing out loud.
Lacey took another big mouthful of water. The one glass of champagne had gone straight to her head and even though she’d just eaten a delicious lunch she was still feeling a little spun out. Some of it because the conversation around the table had become quite outrageous, at least from what she could comprehend. Sometimes Rhys’s and Rory’s accents made it difficult. And Birgit, now on her fourth glass of champagne, was getting harder to understand as well. With each glass, her Irish accent became more pronounced. Every so often the two guys would laugh at her words but they were odd about it, glancing at each other as if they were laughing at Birgit rather than with her. And there was something evasive about their answers to personal questions that seemed at odds with their jokey manner.
Evidently they were cousins, they’d been happy to share, and were in Australia for three months, seeing as much of it as they could. They’d been saving for years and the Ghan trip enabled them to go from top to bottom, as Rhys had mentioned several times. Lacey understood him then and liked the way the words “top to bottom” sounded as they rolled from his tongue. Occasionally he’d asked her a question and when he did his green eyes fixed on her so intently she stumbled over her answers.
She’d never been confident with men, or at least not with any that showed interest in her, with two exceptions. There was Marcus from her TAFE days. They got on really well and Lacey could talk easily with him but he was gay so there was never going to be anything more than friendship between them. And then there’d been Judith’s neighbour, Dean. She’d thought they were getting along well but it had fizzled out. She still thought about Dean every day, about how happy she believed they’d been, and wondering what went wrong.
“Have you been to Katherine before, Lacey?” Rhys asked.
Letting go her thoughts of Dean and his deep brown eyes, she focused on the green pair studying her now across the table.
“No, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Jade, who seemed to be in charge of most things, arrived at their table. “Excuse my interruption but I’ve got good news for you gentlemen. You’ve got your helicopter flight.”
“Deadly!”
“That’s bleedin’ rapid.” They both spoke at once.
From the looks on their faces Lacey gathered they were excited, and it was infectious. She glanced out the window at the trees flashing by and the blue sky beyond and imagined herself taking a helicopter flight.
“Come to the counter in the lounge car as soon as you finish your lunch and you can make your payment,” Jade said.
“We’re finished.” Rhys tapped Rory on the arm. “We’ll come now and get it sorted.”
They both eased out from behind the table.
“Thanks for your company,” Rory said.
“It was great.” Birgit’s words were softly slurred as she made goggle eyes at him, which he ignored.
“Let’s meet for drinks when we all get back. Compare our adventures.” Rhys smiled at Lacey and winked. He seemed like a nice guy but the wink didn’t have the impact of Dean’s and she couldn’t help but feel a little deflated that she wasn’t doing a helicopter flight.
“Great idea,” Birgit gushed. “I’ll come with you. I need to use the bathroom. Back in two ticks, Lacey.”
Lacey settled back in her seat feeling a little despondent. She didn’t have Birgit’s talent when it came to chatting easily with men. Rhys was friendly but she didn’t feel relaxed with him. Not like she had with Dean.
She pictured Dean the first time she’d met him at Miss Ketty’s Christmas lunch, with his colourful Christmas shirt, his curly hair still damp from the shower and his cheeky grin. Lacey had been smitten straight away. They’d been placed next to each other and had immediately hit it off. She couldn’t help but think Miss Ketty’s seating had been well planned.
twelve
The previous December – Paddington, Sydney
Lacey glanced around the table, where all Miss Ketty’s Christmas lunch guests were finishing their entrees, and then down at her partly eaten seafood terrine. She rarely ate smoked salmon or prawns but they went perfectly with the avocado salsa. They’d already had nibbles with their cocktails and this was only the entree. She’d found it filling and she knew Miss Ketty would have plenty more food. On either side of her Carlos and Dean had devoured theirs. She lay her knife and fork across the top of the last portion.
“Don’t you like it?” Dean murmured beside her.
Her cheeks burned. “It’s delicious but I find it very rich and I know there’s so much more to come.”
“Do you mind if I finish it off?”
“Oh, no, please do.” Lacey tried to slide the remains of the entree onto his plate without being noticed by the others who were all engaged in conversation but as she set her empty plate down again, Judith gave her an appraising look. It was hard to know if it was in approval or displeasure.
“There are more in the fridge, Dean,” Judith said. “I could have got you another.”
Probably displeasure then, although Lacey couldn’t see why it would matter. Food wasn’t so plentiful at her house that it could be wasted. She folded her serviette in her lap.
“I don’t mind eating Lacey’s leftovers.” Dean winked at her as he popped the last forkful in his mouth and Lacey’s heart skipped a beat. It was conspiratorial, something just between him and her.
Judith sighed and began to collect plates. Lacey lifted hers but it was swiftly taken from her hands by Carlos.
“Please sit back and relax.” His smile was wide and lit up his face. “Judith and I are in charge of dining.”
Dean leaned closer. His wavy hair was damp and smelled of citrus. “It’s as if Ketty has her own butler.”
Lacey understood what he meant. Carlos was wearing a cream linen open-necked shirt, tan shorts and a pair of loafers but his manner made her think of one of the butlers in the Downton Abbey show her gran had been so fond of. It wouldn’t have surprised her if Carlos had been dressed in a black suit, bow tie and white gloves. “He was a maître d’ on a cruise ship for a long time. It’s probably his nature.”
“He’s got an accent I can’t pick. Is he British?”
“From Spain,” Lacey murmured. Carlos was at the other side of the table but she didn’t want him to know they were talking about him. “I think he speaks a few different languages. He spent a lot of time working on cruise ships.”
Carlos passed them with a pile of plates and arrived at the door as Judith did. He stopped and tipped his head. She strode ahead of him and Carlos followed.
“I can see why Judith’s got her knickers in a knot.”
“Has she?” Lacey glanced sideways at Dean. He and Judith had been chatting like old friends when they’d sat down. She’d thought they were close but his wink earlier and his words now made him seem a little disparaging.
“Surely you’ve noticed her fussing over Ketty?”
Lacey gave a non-committal shrug.
“What was it, about two months ago, when Ketty had that nasty chest infection?”
“Yes, she was off work for a week and even then it took a long time for her to shake the cough. Judith stayed at her place for a few nights.”
“Judith loves to have someone to fuss over. She was so happy. Not that Ketty was unwell but that she needed Judith’s help,” Dean continued. “Normally Judith would spend days helping Ketty prepare for Christmas but Carlos has kind of sidelined her. He seems like he’s settled in here.” Once more Dean leaned in close. “Do you think they’re a couple?”
Lacey glanced in Miss Ketty’s direction to make sure she couldn’t hear but she was deep in conversation with her three neighbours. Something about a change in council rates.
“I don’t know. They’re old friends.”
“Well, good on them, I say. You’re never too old for love.”
Lacey fiddled with her bracelet, unable to meet the soft look in his deep brown eyes.
“Anyway, if Carlos does stay around I might be in for more of Judith’s fussing,” Dean said. “She’s very kind-hearted but sometimes it’s as if she’s my mother and I’ve already got one of those.”
He straightened up as Judith bustled back around the table clearing the last of the clutter ready for mains. Lacey watched her from below lowered lids. Judith was nice to everyone at work, even to Lacey some days, but with no warning she could say something unkind. It was as if she were two people.
“How do you like working at Ketty Clift Couture?” Dean asked. “You’re a lot younger than the rest of them.”
Lacey lifted her head as Judith strode away. “Birgit’s always good fun. She’s only a few years older than me. Tien’s a fan of reality TV and often has us giggling over whatever she’s watched the night before. I think of Ning as a mother hen. She’s a bit like Miss Ketty, calm and wise. Everyone brings something different to the mix. I truly love it here.” She glanced over her shoulder to the glass double doors. The curtains were drawn but beyond was the workshop where magic was created. “We’re a team. I don’t think about the differences.” Except for Judith, but she wasn’t brave enough to admit that to Dean.
“It’s funny you call her Miss Ketty.”
“I called her Miss Clift when I started. She insisted I call her Ketty but it didn’t seem respectful. We agreed Miss Ketty was a compromise.”
“You’re a special individual, Lacey.”
