Love You Dead

58 Tuesday 3 March

After Rollo had left the cabin to play bridge again, at 4 p.m., Jodie waited a few minutes to ensure he didn’t come back for something he had forgotten, then she changed. She slipped on a push-up bra, slinky top, a short skirt and high-heeled sandals, then admired herself in the full-length mirror, mouthing, with a grin, ‘You are so sexy!’

She made her way along to the ship’s doctor, on a lower deck down in the bowels of the ship, placing her hands in the wall-mounted disinfection unit before entering. She explained her reasons for her visit to the nurse, who asked her to take a seat and fill in a form. Then she was ushered into the consulting room, which contained an examination couch, eye-test chart, towel dispenser and a desk with a computer screen and keyboard.

Dr Gordon Ryerson was a charming grey-haired man, in a smart white outfit, and of a similar vintage to Rollo, she estimated. And with a roving eye, she guessed, too, from the way he looked her up and down appreciatively. As she was a generation younger, at least, than most of the rest of her fellow female passengers, she guessed he didn’t get to flirt with young women that often on this voyage. So she flirted coyly with him now, meeting his gaze. She loved it, always. Loved seeing in men’s eyes just how damned attractive she was. And sometimes she would think back to her younger days as an ugly duckling and count her blessings. Life now was very much more fun.

‘Nice to meet you, Mrs Carmichael,’ he said, as if suddenly ending the game and going into professional mode, pointing to a chair in front of his desk. ‘Have a seat. What can I do for you?’

She crossed her legs, then uncrossed them slowly, smiling to herself as his eyes followed them. ‘I’ve been feeling queasy ever since we sailed from Dubai, doctor,’ she lied. ‘I was wondering if you could suggest anything? I’ve seen people wearing motion sickness bracelets, but before buying one I thought I’d ask your views.’

‘Oh dear,’ he said. ‘Poor you. I’m afraid it does take some people a few days to get their sea legs. Are you on any medication of any kind?’

She shook her head.

He studied the form for some moments that she had filled out for his nurse a few minutes earlier. Then he asked, ‘You’re not pregnant or anything?’

‘God, I hope not! My husband’s had a vasectomy.’

‘They’re not always foolproof, of course. I’ve had patients in the past who’ve fallen pregnant when they thought they were safe.’

‘I’m not pregnant, believe me!’ Changing the subject, she said breezily, ‘This must be a nice job. Do you work on this ship permanently?’

‘No, I’m retired, really. I used to be a general practitioner in Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire. I do a bit of locum work to keep my hand in, and a couple of times a year I do this — my wife and I enjoy a free cruise in return for my working a few hours a day. It’s very pleasant.’

‘How nice!’

‘Well, you know, it’s nice to work with happy people. People come on a cruise to have a good time. Are you and your husband enjoying yourselves?’

‘Very much. So you’re an expert in everything medical?’

‘I began life as an army surgeon, so I wouldn’t call myself an expert in everything, but I can cope with most emergencies that are likely to happen on board ship.’

‘You do operations?’

‘I can whip out an appendix, if needed. But for anything more serious we’d put a patient ashore or have them airlifted off.’ He smiled.

She smiled back. Good. Very good.

He pulled open a drawer behind his desk and produced a blister pack of pills. ‘I’m sure we can clear up this motion sickness very quickly, then you can focus on enjoying yourself!’

‘Thank you,’ she said, as he handed her the pills and gave her instructions on taking them.

She’d already got all she needed from this brief meeting.

The knowledge that he was limited in his experience. He could deal with all the basics. Fine.

She doubted he’d ever had to deal with what she had in mind.