sharply, but everything he did was done with restraint and dignity. Various different people would constantly come up to him with this or that piece of information and each would receive their reply in the form of a slight nod, next to him stood several similarly high ranking men and women.
“He must be some sort of big wig. I noticed that one of the people he talked to was the Captain’s Mate who is responsible for the ship’s security and safety,” Natalie quietly informed her sister.
“And look, the woman standing next to him is the woman who has the cabin next door to ours. Which is very interesting, let’s see if we can sit a little bit closer,” Sophia suggested.
“As the old song goes – it wouldn’t all be so melancholy, if it only weren't so sad. It would all be much better if we were just here on holiday. Talking of which, look: those black arrows have started appearing again – so let’s get out of here.”
Natalie and Sophia got up calmly and amicably and followed the path indicated by the light arrows.
As they were walking away Sophia said:
“It looks like we were rather overdoing it with our observations.”
“And what’s so bad about that? Maybe they took a shine to us, especially that top dog. Eh? What do you think? We get to know him, get into his confidence and find out everything we need to know. ... How does that plan sound?”
“It doesn’t sound like a plan at all. It sounds more like something out of a pulp fiction spy thriller. Although, hold your horses! Where is our bodyguard friend going?”
And with that Sophia pulled Natalie back into the casino. For the time being there no arrows were showing and the sisters hid themselves out of sight behind a group of revellers in order to see what the businessman’s bodyguard was up to. They were both completely amazed when he went straight up to the big wig nodding to everyone else in his circle. The bodyguard went straight up to “his Excellency”, as the sisters had decided to nickname him, and to their surprise he smiled sweetly at the young man and even gave him a friendly shake of the hand. Immediately afterwards the bodyguard ran off to the other side of the room with a huge smile on his face.
The sister’s amazement knew no bounds.
“So – does that make him the servant of two masters?” said Natalie turning to her sister.
“I don’t know… But all I do know is that we are going to have to be extremely careful with this character, but for now, let's get out of here before anyone notices us."
They quickly made their way to the conservatory where it was quieter and there were less people, with only the occasional couple deep in private conversation. Natalie and Sophia sat at a bench just a little bit away from the central alley. There was nobody around and all was silence except for the singing of the birds in the trees.
“Perhaps we could stay here for the night?” said Natalie lifting her legs up on to the luxuriously comfortable seat.
Sophia laughed:
"And do you not think that there might be the odd snake or two in the grass around here as well?”
“Unfortunately, there seem to be so many of the two legged variety around here that I don’t know where to put my feet.”
And at that moment Natalie noticed a priest:
“That’s strange what a priest is doing here?”
“What else. He’s on holiday.”
“In a cassock?” said Natalie calmly meeting his gaze.
When the priest drew next to the girls he amicably invited them to his church.
“I have to admit that it’s a bit small but nevertheless big enough to provide balm for the soul.”
Natalie was just about to get up and follow him when Sophia held her back.
“Let’s just sit here a little while longer.”
When the priest had moved out of earshot she said:
“Even in the church don’t say any more than the bare minimum, he might not be a priest at all. I suggest,” said Sophia whispering in her sister’s ear, “that we go back for our glasses and generally keep them on or about us."
Once they got back to their cabin they noticed that although their things had been very tidily folded they were not in the place where they had left them, nevertheless nothing seemed to have been tampered with. Unseen by the camera the sisters quickly put their glasses into their bags and left. As soon as the door closed behind them Natalie and Sophia lowered their glasses on their chains and… became invisible.
In the empty hallway between the cabins laughter could be heard, however, its source remained invisible. They literally hopped after the light arrows that lit up their way, and soon arrived at a small cabin with a large cross on the door. The door was unlocked and opened easily. Although small, the church was extremely pleasant. The walls were covered in frescoes depicting biblical scenes and there was a small altar with several old icons, in front of the altar stood two men with their backs to the door. On hearing the door open they both looked round. The sisters shuddered: One of them was the bodyguard from their table and the other was one of the people who had been in his Excellency’s circle at the casino. Natalie and Sophia just managed to slip in before the young man rushed to close the door shut again.
“So where were we…? Quickly put on this priest’s cassock, he’s having a break at the moment and won’t be back today. Have a word with the young women. Firstly, find out what the purpose of their trip is and secondly, try to frighten them so that they’ll get off the ship at the first opportunity. You yourself understand that if they are who we think they are, and then they can expect nothing good here.” And with that he gave the “priest” a friendly slap on the back. “I must run because it wouldn’t be good if they saw me around here.”
And like a bullet he flew out of the chapel. The man who had been left behind began to put on the priest's vestments started to express what was on his mind out loud:
“What a horrible man, I just can’t understand what on earth he has in common with such an important gentleman. His sorts always have a ready smile and are always ready to carry out his slightest whim. Such a respectable man with family and children and a general no less. Maybe the rumours going round the military about him are true? And now this absolutely ridiculous favour he’s asked of me. What could such sweet young girls have done to bother him? It all seems very wrong to me.”
At that moment he heard a knock at the door and Natalie and Sophia came into the cabin with the most disarming smiles. Of course it didn’t require a genius to work out that the man standing in front of them was anything but a priest. He immediately invited them to sit down and started a conversation on the most secular themes. And as the sisters listened to his good natured monologue it became easier for them to talk to him about various things. Natalie and Sophia vied with each other to stuff his head with the emptiest nonsense, such as how much they liked being on holiday, where they had been, what they had seen and where they wanted to go... The “priest” was more than happy to engage in such light conversation and was evidently in no rush either to frighten them or persuade them to leave the ship. However, when he bid them farewell he did say that they should be very careful because even on a ship as wonderful as this one there were nevertheless all sorts of different people. Then having finally remembered the role he was meant to be playing he wished them well bestowing on them the strangest blessing:
“You may return home with a feeling that you have paid off all your debts.”
Natalie couldn’t resist and kissed his hand as a mock sign of respect, but this only made him even more embarrassed.
And Sophia thought to herself:
“He really is a good man underneath.”
They returned to the cabin in high spirits and when they saw the camera they decided to lull their eavesdroppers into an even greater sense of false security by loudly complaining that not everything seemed to be quite as wonderful on the ship as it would first appear and that they would defin
itely follow the priest’s wise advice. The sisters slept like babes – the day had ended very successfully and they had managed to erect a smokescreen in front of their enemies.
The next morning, Natalie reminded Sophia with a silent nod of her head to bring her glasses with her and the latter with a similar gesture suggested that they put the glasses on “invisible” mode. Once out of the door and unseen they made their way as carefully as possible in order not to give themselves away. Not far away they noticed two young lads loitering with intent. The elder one noted:
“Don’t forget to turn the Dictaphone on as soon as they come out, then follow them to the entrance of the hall then I’ll take over from there.”
Sophia whispered to Natalie:
“If I’m not very much mistaken I do believe they are waiting for us. Let's check shall we?"
Unseen round the corner from the boys Natalie and then Sophia made themselves visible again. The boys were only a few feet away and as soon as they heard the sisters’ voices one of them immediately sidled up to them. Sophia and Natalie couldn’t help themselves and immediately burst out laughing.
Then Sophia whispered:
“Let’s have an innocent little chat about his Excellency the general.”
“You know what Sophia; I liked the look of that imposing looking gentleman at the casino yesterday.”
“Who had his eye on us?” Natalie nodded.
“It’s a great idea! Let’s introduce ourselves because the men on our dinner table are beginning to get on my nerves, especially that bodyguard. He’s as thick as two short planks and makes out as if he’s the big boss."
“The boss is much more pleasant. You could even say that he’s quite sweet.”
One of the boys ran on ahead to keep tabs on the sisters while the other followed them so close that he was practically under their feet. But the sisters didn’t say another word all the way to their table but just laughed inwardly.
At the entrance of the dining hall Sophia noticed the bodyguard. He took something from the lad who had gone racing ahead and hid it in his pocket. Sophia and Natalie nodded to each other and, in invisible mode, the two sisters rushed to catch up with the two faced security man.
When they finally caught up with him he had just finished listening to the recording and immediately made a phone call:
“You have caught their attention."
“Excellent, let’s try to get to meet them somehow.” replied a voice at the other end of the line.
“What about our plan to put them out of action for a little while?”
“Leave the one who said she liked me and slip something into the other one’s drink. It will be easier to deal with just one on her own."
The sisters ran back to their table as fast as they could and when the bodyguard arrived they were already seated at their places. Both of them gave the impression that they were utterly unperturbed and greeted their fellow diners with the sweetest of smiles. Breakfast passed very pleasantly. The bodyguard applied all his attention towards Natalie, after all he needed to groom her for her acquaintance with the bigwig, and Sophia was once again looked after by the “boss”.
The bodyguard rushed off to the bar and brought back the most wonderful wine and sweets. And then from out of nowhere the big wig appeared. He, of course, was completely charmed by the sweet young women and proposed a toast: “To the wonderful ladies.”
Natalie was showered with compliments by the general, while the boss suggested to Sophia that they go and get to know each other better at the bar. Sophia accepted his suggestion, which for some reason caused the bodyguard to be quite put out. This had evidently not been a part of his plans. Sophia was interested to see how he would worm himself out of this situation. After a little while the bodyguard had a bottle of the most exquisite wine sent from his table to Sophia and the boss. The latter was only too pleased to suggest that they try this “liquid sunlight”. Sophia didn’t know what to do. It was obvious that she must not drink the wine. While her companion opened the bottle she poured some non-alcoholic wine into her glass and put it to one side. But what was she to do to help the boss. He clearly had nothing to do with the games his employee was playing and Sophia decided to try out a classic manoeuvre.
When the glasses were full she moved hers to one side and, unseen, poured its contents into an empty food dish that was standing nearby. Grasping her non-alcoholic glass of wine she turned to the boss proposing a toast to friendship, but then, oh, so clumsily accidentally spilled the contents of her companion’s glass down her dress.
Sophia immediately jumped off her seat and said:
“I’ll just pop back to the cabin and change my outfit.”
Having run to her cabin Sophia threw off the dress, placing it in the shower and washed the wine off her leg. In a couple of minutes Sophia was already sitting back at the bar in her new dress. The boss was there waiting for her.
“Let’s have a long cocktail, I’m really quite thirsty,” Sophia suggested. Several minutes later the bodyguard appeared at the bar.
“Would you mind if I try the wine that I sent you?”
And without another word grabbed the bottle and stalked out of the bar.
The boss nearly choked on his drink at the unexpected rudeness of it all and shouted after his employee:
“What the devil do you think you’re doing?”
Sophia stroked the naïve man on his shoulder and soothingly said:
“It’s no big deal; I guess he just doesn’t want to see such good wine go to waste.”
After their eventful breakfast the sisters headed off to the pool. Once mingled with the crowd, they put on their glasses and calmly set off for the ship’s conservatory. They found a bench in a quiet corner and began to review what had happened. The bodyguard’s cunning plan hadn’t worked on this occasion but what were they to expect later on?
“We can’t find out everything that they are going to come up with,” said Sophia,” at the moment they are organising full-scale war against us, albeit an invisible war. We need to be one step ahead. Let’s go to the casino and try to overhear what they are going to plan next.”
Natalie nodded her head and decisively got up from the table. As ever, the casino was a hotbed of gamblers, one exchanging places with the next, however, the people watching proceedings remained the same. Unnoticed, Natalie and Sophia sidled up to the table where the ship’s top dogs were standing. It seemed as if invisible threads were spreading out all over the ship from this table. But where else were they leading? That would have been a good thing to find out but the conversation of these social lions was extremely banal – who had just won at billiards or bowling and how a party thrown in honour of this or that sports star had passed off. There was no information to be gleaned here at all. Maybe the sisters had been mistaken and perhaps the boss at the centre of all this intrigue wasn't to be found among these self-important gentlemen. Then suddenly Sophia noticed their unpleasant table companion playing cards with a number of junior officers from the Captain’s staff. Sophia nudged Natalie and they both inched their way towards the card table. The players seemed to sharing the most insignificant and irrelevant pleasantries with each other. But then the bodyguard unexpectedly said to the man sitting next to him:
“I have hidden the dress.”
Then a few minutes later his neighbour said:
“Have you sorted out the make up?”
To which the bodyguard replied after a few more rounds: “Yes it looks like the finest quality that money can buy."
Then they returned to their normal pleasantries. Natalie and Sophia moved away to a quiet corner.
“Let’s go to our cabin and see if what they’ve been saying has anything to do with us. I’ve got a funny feeling that one of these characters has been up to something there. Let's go and check right now.”
And with that Sophia set off for the cabin a
t such a lick that Natalie was barely able to keep up with her. The sisters had barely opened the door before they noticed that someone had been in their cabin and going into the bathroom Sophia immediately noticed that her dress had gone missing.
“That means that the make-up might be."
Natalie was barely able to finish her sentence before the woman from the next door cabin knocked on the door and came in.
“Are you already lying down for a nap? I wanted to invite you over to my cabin for a cup of tea; I've got all sorts of different cakes and biscuits.”
“Thank you very much, but we seem to have overdone it at the swimming pool today and need to have a bit of a rest," Natalie replied politely.
“Why are you being so boring?” said the young woman insistently.
So Sophia decided to pretend that she had been poisoned slightly by saying:
“I have to admit I really don’t know what is bothering me? Although I did have a bit more wine today than I would normally.”
The neighbour’s eyes flashed and she started telling so many stories about the dangers of drink that Natalie was forced to forcefully but politely interrupt her:
“We are very grateful for your invitation…”
But she had barely got the sentence out before their nosey neighbour had ducked out of their cabin like a flash. The sisters began to get ready for their nap. Natalie picked up her face lotion but Sophia stopped her, making a number of signs with her eyes that it wasn’t a good idea to use the make up in the cabin. In reply Natalie let her know with a number of equally colourful facial contortions that she thought it was nothing but a bit of nonsense.
After a few minute Natalie’s face had turned a deep red. There could be no doubt of course that the bodyguard was behind it. What were they to do? They decided to leave everything as it was, and only use the make-up that they had with them in their handbags.
Irritating trifles seemed to happen them nearly every hour. People would drop money and even a valuable ring right in front of them. Once when they were sitting at lunch the sisters mentioned that they couldn't believe how careless the people on the boat were - constantly losing things.
The boss listened very carefully and said:
“Whatever you do, don’t pick these things up or even touch them.”
“Why?” Natalie asked innocently.
“It could all very easily end up in a scandal. My bodyguard knows all about these sorts of tricks. Why don’t you tell them about a couple of the tricks you know,” said the boss turning to his employee.
But the latter just made a lame excuse that he was in a hurry:
“Oh definitely, but it will have to be another time, I’ve got a very urgent meeting at the moment.”
And with that he ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. As soon as the bodyguard had gone, the boss literally showered the two sisters
The Stolen Star Page 38