Free Dastardly Deeds by Ilsa Evans

much.’
    ‘Pity.’ She pulled the fresh glass of wine closer and appeared to lose interest in Ashley.
    Ashley grinned as he turned to me. ‘It occurs to me that you thought I was here with a female friend.
That
was what you thought might be awkward. Dare I hope there might have been a little jealousy there too?’
    ‘Depends on your imagination, I suppose.’
    His grin widened as he leant back. ‘Oh, I have a rocking imagination.
You
should know that.’
    I glanced across at Enid. She was drinking contentedly. I followed suit, but only to buy time. So he had brought his cousin along.
    ‘And I see you’ve lost your wings?’
    I put my glass down. ‘It was actually a cape. But I decided I’d saved enough lives for one day.’
    ‘What if I need CPR? Would you oblige?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Enid, buttering a piece of bread.
    I was still watching Ashley. ‘Are you flirting with me?’
    ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake.’ Enid dropped her knife with a clatter. ‘Of course he is! And you’re not supposed to
ask
, just go with the flow.’
    A stocky waiter came over with menus, flipping each open as he placed them before us. I read mine without registering a single option. I had expected a certain frisson between us, even when I had thought he’d been attached, but he seemed to have leapt ahead several bases. I was feeling a little blindsided.
    ‘Are those seats taken?’ asked Tessa. Darcy stood beside her, glancing from Ashley to me. He nodded stiffly.
    ‘Yes,’ said Enid.
    ‘That’s fine.’ Darcy looked relieved. ‘We’ll set up camp at the other end.’
    Ashley watched them settle. ‘Did he fall into a bucket of bleached teeth first?’
    ‘Play nice,’ I said shortly.
    ‘Oh, I will. I’m looking forward to having a drink with the old Darce.’
    I glanced at him suspiciously. I had managed to keep the two men apart for much of the time that Ashley and I had dated, mainly for my own sense of equilibrium. I didn’t need that disturbed now.
    ‘Here we go.’ Ashley had twisted in his chair. The large man from the piano bar stood there awkwardly. He had the pale, freckled skin of a true redhead. He also looked like an ageing American jock – the type that was usually hanging off the back of a fire truck or lined up with his fellow marines. ‘Let me introduce my cousin, Nick Armistead. He’s my cruise buddy.’
    Greetings were offered by all except Enid, whose eyes were closed. Nick sat down heavily, putting his beer on the table and then staring at it.
    ‘Nick’s a man of few words,’ said Ashley. ‘Nick, this is the famous Nell Forrest. You may have heard me mention her.’
    ‘Hardly famous,’ I demurred, giving Nick my best smile.
    He nodded. I wasn’t sure if this was in agreement or not.
    ‘Nick’s been living in Queensland for the past fifteen years,’ explained Ashley. ‘He only just moved down to Victoria with his family a few months ago.’
    ‘You don’t have a purple suitcase, do you?’ I asked. ‘With a sparkly tag?’
    He flushed, the colour clashing horribly with his hair. ‘It’s the wife’s.’
    Others had started to flow into the restaurant now, the waiters working hard to fill wineglasses and deliver menus. I could see Phoebe sitting by herself at the table on the lower level. I took a sip of wine and then glanced up to find Nick watching me. He flushed again. The colour really didn’t suit him.
    I spoke quickly to break the discomfort. ‘So you’re taking a holiday together?’
    ‘Yep,’ said Ashley. ‘Apparently someone only wanted the first two days of the cruise and we wanted the rest, so it worked out perfectly.’
    I sent evil thoughts in Lyn Russo’s direction. Given she had been boring me stupid with her family’s plans for months, surely she could have also shared this little tidbit. Unless she didn’t know, in which case I blamed Lew. Again.
    ‘So Nick here’s been given a leave pass by his lovely wife. See, our grandfather was at Gallipoli. He had his