'I was so scared.’ Jacinta breathed deeply when the children were safely out of the kitchen and back on deck.

‘Vladimir certainly has an interesting management style,’ Sep observed.

‘Well I’m sure he’s a wonderful chef,’ Alice-Miranda enthused. ‘There were some delicious smells in that kitchen.’

‘We thought he was going to squish you under his hairy paw,’ said Millie, ‘and then roast us all in the ovens and serve us for dinner tonight.’

The children looked at each other and gulped. Only Alice-Miranda smiled.

‘Hello.’ Cecelia walked over and interrupted the group. ‘So where have you lot been?’

‘Hello Mummy. We’ve had the most wonderful afternoon exploring the ship. We saw the pool and the library and the ballroom and the kitchen,’ Alice-Miranda went on.

‘And we met the scariest chef in the world,’ Jacinta added.

‘Mr Rodgers?’ Cecelia raised her eyebrows. ‘I’ve known him since I was ten years old. He doesn’t have a frightening bone in his body. You know his nickname is Jolly.’

‘Well this man’s name certainly isn’t Jolly. It’s Vladimir and he’s a giant and especially fierce with his staff,’ Jacinta went on.

Cecelia Highton-Smith called to her sister Charlotte, who was standing nearby talking with Daisy and Granny Bert.

‘Cha, excuse me, darling, what happened to Mr Rodgers?’

‘Oh, poor fellow has a broken leg. It was a dreadful accident – a hit-and-run on the high street a few weeks ago. Admiral Harding said Mr Rodgers simply didn’t see the car. I can’t believe the driver didn’t stop – poor man could have been killed. He wanted to do the wedding but I told Aunty Gee that would be terribly unfair. I couldn’t imagine him hopping about down there on crutches. So Lawrence organised another chef through a friend of his. The man’s a bit of a celebrity in Russia – stunning food but not known for his patience. Apparently he’s been dying to cook for Aunty Gee for ages – increase his prestige at home and all. He insisted on bringing some of his own team, too.’

‘We met him a little while ago,’ Alice-Miranda piped up.

‘And you’re right about him being impatient. His staff are terrified of him,’ Lucas added.

‘I’m sure he’s not as bad as all that,’ Alice-Miranda insisted. ‘Chefs are just focused, that’s all.’

Cecelia glanced up and caught sight of Millie’s mother and father talking with Mrs Oliver and Ambrose.

‘Did you see your parents, Jacinta?’ Cecelia asked. She wondered where on earth they could have got to. Everyone else had managed to make it up on deck to push off and since then most of the guests had been milling about chatting, taking tea and having a lovely catch-up.

‘No,’ Jacinta frowned.

‘Never mind, they’re probably just taking a while to get settled. I’m sure they’ll be up shortly,’ Cecelia said reassuringly. She secretly wondered if she’d done the right thing inviting them. It didn’t seem fair that Millie should have her family on board when Jacinta would have no one. Cecelia had been surprised when she received word (at the very last minute) that the Headlington-Bears would attend and had requested two suites. But at least Jacinta would get to spend some time with them.

When the children hadn’t found Ambrosia by the pool, Jacinta had decided not to worry about her mother and father. She had no idea what they’d talk about when she did see them. Of course Charlotte and Lawrence were terribly kind inviting her parents, but really it would have suited her just as well if they’d stayed away. She had a sinking feeling that they most likely only agreed to come because of Lawrence and the possibility of meeting some of his movie star friends.

The late afternoon sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds. The children were keen to test the pool before dark and had decided on their way back from the kitchen to see if they might have a swim before nightfall.

Lucas asked Charlotte if that was all right.

‘Of course,’ she replied. ‘Just don’t be late for dinner.’

‘Okay, let’s meet at the pool in ten minutes,’ Jacinta instructed as the children headed to their suites to get changed.

‘All right, but I might be a little longer,’ said Alice-Miranda. ‘There’s something I need to do first.’