Dreamboat (25 page)

Luca stiffened at the torrent of words.

“She's caused no end of trouble,” Monika continued, “and she'll—”

“Frau Graf,” he said, “you'll forgive me, but I have patients waiting. Please give this to the nurse.” He handed her a slip of paper. “And call me tomorrow if you don't feel better.”

He turned to leave the room.

“You'll thank me for this,” Monika said to his back.

Luca ignored her and kept going.

There,
Monika thought with satisfaction, not in the least disturbed by his reaction.
I've planted the seeds of doubt.
She picked up her big gold leather handbag and slipped off the examination table.
Crissy's a useful girl, malleable and moldable, and he'll not steal her away from Mark. Or me.

Crissy waved good-bye to Gudrun through the window of the duty-free shop, then patted her hair and blew her a kiss. Gudrun laughed, and Crissy went on her way, happy to have made a new friend, even if only for the duration of the trip. She also felt especially glamorous and could hardly wait for Luca to see her. Her hair was gathered in a French twist, and Gudrun had expertly woven a length of the golden chain set with rhinestones through it, then encircled it to great effect. So what if the gold and gems were fake? Crissy thought. Her dress wasn't by a well-known designer either, but it looked great on her. A creamy white, it was made of a crinkled and loosely pleated silklike fabric and was cut much like a Grecian toga with an empire waist trimmed in gold and cream braiding. Floor-length, the back was cut a little longer, giving a hint of a train. When she moved, the pleated fabric swirled out behind her, and she appeared to float.

On the way to the shop, she hadn't failed to notice the many admiring glances she received, and she wondered if she was overdressed. She wasn't used to the attention that was being directed toward her, and she felt self-conscious.

When she entered the large, elegant room, the maître d' crooned. “You look beautiful tonight,” he said. “The most beautiful woman here.”

“Thank you,” Crissy replied as he led her to the table.

Heads turned in the dining room, watching her progress from the entrance to the table. When she reached it, the maître d' pulled her chair back, and she sat down, using a hand to gather excess fabric and pull it to the side.

“You look like an angel from heaven,” Rudy declared.

“Divine,” Monika crooned, kissing her cheek.

“Sexy, too,” Mina said with a laugh.

Dr. Von Meckling nodded in her direction and mouthed something indecipherable, but it sounded appreciative.

“Thank you,” Crissy said, glancing about the table. “Everyone looks
fabulous.” Monika, unsurprisingly, was in floor-length sequins that were nearly blinding in the light, casting reflections with her every move, and Mina was in red ruffles again, only a different dress, this one of taffeta with the largest ruffles Crissy thought she'd ever seen. Rudy and Dr. Von Meckling were in black tie, the doctor's jacket emblazoned with several medallions. Crissy wondered what they were.

“I love your hair,” Monika said.

“I got the ‘jewels' in the duty-free shop,” Crissy replied.

Monika looked momentarily alarmed. “Don't tell a soul,” she said. “They look like a million dollars.”

“I'm going there tomorrow,” Mina said. “I must have some.”

“Where's Jenny?” Monika asked.

“I have no idea,” Crissy replied. She was beginning to feel peculiar, constantly being asked the whereabouts of her friend and never knowing the answer.

“I'm sure she'll be here,” Rudy replied. “Just late as usual.”

“Now,” Monika said, “you must tell us what you've been doing.”

“Oh,” Crissy said, as if she'd forgotten something trivial. “I was invited out to dinner last evening.”

Eyebrows raised expectantly, but Crissy took a well-timed sip of water.

“You are being terribly mysterious,” Monika said. “You force me to ask with whom you dined.”

“Mark Vilos,” Crissy replied in a matter-of-fact voice.

“Indeed,” Monika said, her interest piqued. “In his cabin?”

“Yes, in his cabin,” Crissy said.

“How was your dinner?” Monika asked.

“Nice,” Crissy replied.

Monika looked at her crossly. “ ‘Nice,' ” Monika parroted, “is an almost meaningless word. You are being extremely difficult, my darling. Twice now you've seen the most ravishing and richest young man on the ship—the owner's son and only heir!—and even been to his cabin. You must be more forthcoming, my darling. Don't you see that we're all dying to know if there is romance in the air?”

“Romance?” Crissy paused dramatically, took a bite of her salad, then shook her head. “No,” she finally said.

Monika's face fell, and she fingered the rings on one hand nervously, turning them this way and that. “How disappointing,” she said. “Are you certain? I don't think he would have asked you to dinner unless he was
extremely interested in you.” She looked around the table as if seeking confirmation of what she'd said.

“Maybe Crissy is not so interested in him,” Mina said.

Monika looked at her. “Can that be true? That you aren't interested in one of the most eligible bachelors in all of Europe?”

“No,” Crissy said. “I mean, no, I'm not particularly interested in him.”

“You are being very stupid,” Monika pronounced. “I thought you were a much more sensible young lady than that.”

“I can't simply manufacture feelings,” Crissy retorted. “Certainly not romantic ones. You should know that, Monika, being a romance novelist.”

“True enough,” Monika said, “but I should think you would give him some consideration. It's that young Italian doctor, isn't it? He's caught your eye, hasn't he?”

Crissy wanted to confide in someone about her involvement with Luca. She wanted to shout it from the rooftops, in fact, but this was neither the time nor place. Nor, she thought, was Monika the person.

“I like him,” she finally said to Monika. “The doctor, I mean. But he has nothing to do with Mark Vilos. I just don't click with Mark, and I'm not going to force it.”

“You don't ‘click' with him,” Monika mimicked. “How extraordinary. And you ‘click', as you say, with the doctor?”

“I guess you could say that,” she said, “but I don't really want to talk about it.”

Monika glanced about the table again, this time as if to confirm that Crissy was being a difficult young woman. “Well,” she finally said in a disappointed voice, “I'm surprised by you.” Then she abruptly brightened and reached over and gently squeezed Crissy's arm. “But I love you nevertheless.” She smiled charmingly.

“Oh, Monika,” Crissy said. “You are . . . some lady.” She kissed her cheek impulsively. “And I'm so glad I met you.” She looked around the table. “I'm glad I met all of you.”

“And we're glad to have met you,” Rudy said. Mina nodded, and old Dr. Von Meckling stared at her appreciatively.

They had finished the salad course when Jenny arrived, drawing a great deal of attention. In one of her signature animal prints with a plunging neckline, a back cut just below the top of her buttocks, and slits up
both sides, she was once again barely, if very expensively, dressed. Dangling from her ears and hanging around her neck was a small fortune in precious and semiprecious gemstones set in gold. “Hi, everybody,” she said enthusiastically. “Sorry I'm late, but I took my clothes and everything and went up to the spa for a massage. Got dressed there.”

Dr. Von Meckling's eyes lit up, Crissy noticed, as he drank in Jenny's striking beauty. “There's still some champagne, my dear,” he said.

“Wonderful,” Jenny said dramatically. “I see my timing is superb as usual.” She sat next to the doctor, where the maître d' had pulled out her chair and waited for her.

“You look ravishing as always,” Mina said.

“Oh, yes,” Rudy agreed, pouring her a glass of champagne.

“Quite something,” Monika muttered in a noncommittal way.

“I love your necklace and earrings,” Crissy said. “I haven't seen them before.”

“I don't show you everything,” Jenny said teasingly. “I love your hair, by the way. It looks great.”

Crissy was gratified that Jenny seemed to be her fun-loving self, that whatever had been bothering her wasn't an issue anymore. They talked and laughed while eating, and Crissy noticed that Jenny often patted or put an arm around Dr. Von Meckling. He obviously enjoyed the attention, participating in the conversation more than usual and beaming at Jenny's every touch.

They were having dessert when Monika turned to Crissy and asked, “Do you think your young Mark Vilos will come to the disco tonight?”

“I haven't the faintest idea,” Crissy said. “I haven't seen him or talked to him today, and I'd just as soon not see him tonight.”

“Why not, my darling?” Monika asked.

Crissy hadn't planned on saying anything to Monika or anyone else about the telephone call the previous evening, but she felt compelled to do so now. “Well, after I had dinner with him, we went to the disco for awhile,” she said, “then he wanted me to come back to his stateroom for a nightcap.” Everyone at the table turned to listen to her. “I didn't go, but later the telephone rang. Somebody was breathing on the other end of the line.”

“Oh, my God. How frightening,” Mina said, her eyes widening in alarm.

“I know,” Crissy said. “It was. I kept asking who it was, and whoever it was just kept breathing.”

Monika patted her arm with a hand. “That's horrible, my darling,” she said. “Horrible. I think you should tell the captain at once.”

Crissy took a sip of water. “I'm suspicious that it might have been Mark,” she said.

Monika's hand jerked away from Crissy. “That's absurd,” she said.

“It's not absurd,” Crissy said in self-defense. “He seemed really upset that I wouldn't go back to his stateroom with him.”

“You've got it all wrong,” Jenny said.

Everyone at the table turned to look at her.

“Why?” Crissy asked.

“Because Mark's not interested in you,” Jenny said. “Not at all. And I know that for a fact.”

Crissy looked at her in puzzlement. “But how, Jenny?” she asked. “He—”

“Mark is after
me,
” Jenny said. “He couldn't have called you because we were in the sack together.” She smiled triumphantly as Monika gasped.

Crissy blushed with embarrassment. “You mean that you were there after I was?” she said in a soft voice.

Jenny nodded, her smile still in place. “Yeah,” she said. Crissy noted the resemblance between Jenny's smug expression and that habitually worn by Mark.

She suddenly felt her stomach twist into a knot.
Why am I such a fool?
she wondered anew. Mark had been lying to her, and her friend had seen him but hadn't mentioned it. Until now.

“Well, that changes everything, doesn't it, my darling,” Monika said, apparently relieved that Mark Vilos was in the clear and not particularly concerned that Crissy might be distressed by Jenny's treachery. Jenny should have told her she had seen Mark, and she should have told her in private, not at the dinner table, where she knew it would embarrass Crissy.

“Yes, it does change things,” Crissy said. She glanced around the table. “I was all wrong,” she said with a valiant effort. “I should have been certain before I made any accusations.”

“You didn't mean harm,” Mina said. “Anyone could have made a mistake like that. You shouldn't feel badly about it. But the mystery is still unsolved, isn't it? Who might have made that awful call?”

“Not Mark Vilos,” Monika said firmly. “An absurd notion to begin with.” She looked at Jenny. “So you're seeing him, my dear,” she said in
an ingratiating voice. “I hope you're having a wonderful time with him. Such a handsome young man, so well-bred, and such a good family.”

Crissy watched in fascination as Monika changed allegiance before her eyes, stroking Jenny's ego with her words, as it were. She had certainly never fought for Monika's attention, nor had she sought it out to begin with. But seeing how easily her affections shifted from her to Jenny was sickening—and yet another reminder that she couldn't trust anyone. She suddenly felt like crying or laughing hysterically. The situation was ridiculous, she told herself, and she wished she could rush into Luca's arms at this moment. It wouldn't be long, and she took comfort in that thought.

Still, in the back of her mind was the matter of the telephone call. If Mark hadn't made it, who had? Maybe it was a fluke, she thought, and it would never happen again. She would have to wait and see, but of one thing she was certain: The next time she would go straight to one of the officers on the ship without advice from any of her acquaintances.

Crissy stole a glance at her wristwatch, and was surprised to see that it was nearly nine-thirty. Good. She would have just enough time to go by the cabin and refresh her makeup before going to the hospital.

During dinner Crissy had been aware of the ship's movement, but as she walked back to the cabin she realized that the vessel had begun to pitch to and fro in the water, making walking treacherous. When she reached the cabin, the phone was ringing. She hurriedly flicked on the light and rushed to answer it.

She was thrilled to hear Luca's voice, but wondered if something was wrong. “Something's come up, hasn't it?” she said.

“We've hit a bad patch of weather, and that means I'm going to be very busy,” he replied.

Crissy could hear the disappointment in his voice. “Seasickness?”

“That and a lot of cuts and bruises,” he replied. “Maybe even some broken bones and concussions.”