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of the men were standing. “You mustn’t stand
here looking like the only thing you’re interested in is the
booze, you know,” said Laura to two of the men leaning on the
bar. “You must show off your fine qualities. We ladies don’t
bite.”
    “I wouldn’t mind if you
did,” flashed back one of them.
    Laura giggled. She was used to her male
clients and their banter. It never strayed into the coarse; they
always treated her with respect. She often played the ‘school
teacher’ enabling her to say in a jocular fashion what needed
to be said. “Come with me, you two, and let me introduce you to
a few of the ladies over there who would clearly love to dance.”
    “What do you call a pirate with
two eyes, two arms and two legs?” her cheeky client said to the
girls.
    Baffled faces turned upwards to him.
    “Rookie!”
    Laura left them with the girls as they
caught on and began to laugh. They were off to a good start and there
was only so much she could do; the rest they would have to do for
themselves. Besides, what on earth was a “rookie?” Best
to smile and move on.
    She made her way to the back of the
boat. She was looking for the new man, Barry; she ought to keep an
eye on him. Instead, she found Kieran, six feet two, good-looking in
his pirate costume and acting in character for the amusement of a
group of girls. Leaning over the railings, he took aim at a pair of
boys canoeing along the river. “Your money or your life,”
he yelled brandishing his weapons. “Pay up or I’ll
shoot.” The two young boys lost their rhythm and, eyes on the
pirate, they paddled straight into the bank. Kieran’s audience
was now more concerned with the fate of the children – apart
from Fiona who failed to see anything beyond Kieran.
    It was almost dark along the riverbank
now and in the corner of the open stern, lit by a string of colourful
lanterns, Xandra was chatting comfortably to Andy. “He rescued
me from the attentions of someone called Barry,” she said.
    “No problem. I don’t like
watching someone obviously being plied with drinks,” responded
Andy warmly.
    Laura knew it was too late to spend
time regretting her decision to let Barry Bolton come but she was
supposed to protect her clients from that sort of person. She’d
let her standards slip; her mind was too busy examining this issue of
destiny. She should concentrate on the party now. She glanced at
Xandra and Andy again; they were clearly good friends. Doubts surged
once more. Oh God, have I got this all wrong? It wasn’t a
profanity; Laura had to hope that someone believed in her. God must.
Matt once said Laura might have false memory syndrome, but Laura had
evidence of the truth and it had nothing to do with false memories.
    The boat slowed. Laura knew the river
narrowed from here and some skilful manoeuvring was required to turn
without hitting either bank. Those in the open stern now drifted in
to stock up their plates or get another drink. Andy excused himself
from Xandra. He had a devoted fan and she was beckoning him to come
inside.
    Laura looked across to Xandra seated in
the corner and smiled. “I’ll be back in a minute,”
she said noticing that Xandra looked a little tired. But she could
relax better if she knew who was with Barry. She picked up a glass of
fruit juice from the buffet and made her way to the bar at the bow.
He was probably sitting down and that’s why, in all this
throng, she could not see him.
    “Whoa,” chorused the guests
as the stern bumped the bank, and drinks, including Laura’s,
were spilled. Momentarily the lights flickered then dimmed, then cut
out altogether before being restored a minute or two later. This
sudden darkness was disorientating.
    “Sorry about that Laura,”
called Cap’n Redbeard, as the owner had christened himself for
the evening. “Don’t know what happened there. The engine
seemed to be pulling but getting nowhere.”
    “Grappling iron from Bluebeard,”
called out Nick.
    Redbeard