Chapter Seven: Good Little Girl
"Have you ever seen such a beautiful beach? The water is so blue. Are those real surfers? And look at those palm trees!" Catherine Howard was so excited she nearly dropped the jumbo fruit drink she'd been sipping ever since they landed on the island.
"Don't worry, my dear" Mrs. Holliday said, in her calming way. "You'll have plenty of time to explore Puerto Tranquilo later on. First we must find our little cottage, unpack and have a bite to eat. And after that I imagine we could both do with a little bit of rest. After all, it's a long flight from London to the Caribbean!"
"Oh, all right." Catherine sucked on her fruit drink. She didn't want to rest. She wanted a closer look at the boys they'd passed a moment ago. Those tight swim trunks made her think of nothing but lean, sun-browned bodies and muscular thighs. Even though she was here for a modeling shoot, Catherine felt now that she had always wanted to learn how to surf. Sitting back, she pictured herself finding a teacher, and having some private lessons . . .
"Ah, here we are!" Mrs. Holliday's cheerful voice made Catherine sit up and take notice of her surroundings. But there was nothing to see except for a very pretty white cottage shaded by huge trees. There was also a tropical garden filled with fragrant flowers.
"There's no one around. The beach must be miles away." Catherine tossed away her empty drink. She dragged her heavy bag out of the jeep, feeling as though she'd packed enough fancy clothes for a week. But what was the point if she was stuck with Mrs. Holliday in some secluded cottage on a quiet little street?
"Oh, I'm sure there's a foot path somewhere, when you want to explore." Mrs. Holliday paid the jeep driver, and Catherine noticed how the housekeeper said a few words in the native language. The dark-skinned young man bobbed his head, smiling brightly.
"What was that all about?" Catherine felt a bit left out as she followed Mrs. Holliday into the pretty white cottage. The cozy parlor was dark and quiet, very cool after the hot sun outside.
"Oh, I was just telling Juan to come back in a day or two with some groceries, fresh milk, eggs, butter, and things like that. Though I believe we have plenty of food in the pantry already!" Mrs. Holliday hurried off at once to examine the supplies on hand, leaving Catherine to get unpacked and adjust to her surroundings.
The bedroom down the hall was plain and simple, nothing but a bed and a chest of drawers and a very big mirror. But Catherine liked the sun from the window. And she liked the pale blue wallpaper, decorated with starfish and a real fish net. Everything about the room gave her a tropical feeling, even the ceiling fan whirling slowly overhead. Catherine pictured herself snorkeling and swimming as she stretched out on the very comfortable bed.
"Lunch is ready!" Mrs. Holliday was tapping on the door. But Catherine didn't respond, so she marched right into the room and gently shook the girl on the bed. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty. You need nourishment for that fancy modeling shoot. Come and eat!"
"Right, we're here for Anne of Cleves. I haven't forgotten, really!" Catherine wasn't really hungry at first, but when she stumbled into the kitchen she saw that Mrs. Holliday had prepared quite a feast. There were all sorts of tiny sandwiches with herbs and bits of crab meat and sharp spicy cheese. There was also fresh fruit from the garden and even a fancy bottle of wine chilling in a bucket of ice.
"To your success as a top Cleves model," Mrs. Holliday said, clinking glasses with Catherine after lunch.
"I hope Anne can afford all this!" Thirsty Catherine drank her wine greedily. She'd just devoured everything set in front of her!
"Don't you worry about my lady," Mrs. Holliday said. "This tropical campaign for the new suntan lotion is sure to make her even richer than she is already! Of course you've got to look your best. That's why we set aside time to rest before the shoot! Do you fancy a walk down to the beach after lunch, or would you rather stay here at the cottage and relax? We could read in the garden."
"Oh, let's go into the garden!" Catherine didn't really want to relax. She'd already snoozed just a bit before lunch. But going down to the beach with boys around, and having Mrs. Holliday right on hand, watching her every move, sounded even more disgusting.
"Just imagine having a place like this to escape to every winter," Mrs. Holliday said, settling her big, bulky body into a comfortable cushioned chair in the garden. "It's so far away from everything!"
"Yes, it's miles from anywhere." Catherine was careful not to sound too sulky as she picked up her favorite fashion magazine. She was lying on a cushioned lounge chair in her best bikini, while Mrs. Holliday was reading a thick paperback romance novel.
Catherine felt very curious about the housekeeper's romantic past. She didn't seem like the type to fall for a man. She said she'd been a prison guard when she first met Anne of Cleves Cosmetics. But what had she done before that? Why did she feel so completely devoted to Anne? And what would she do if Anne got into trouble with Henry Tudor and lost her fashion empire?
"You look worried, pet." Mrs. Holliday yawned and put down her romance novel. She gave Catherine a warm smile. "Are you still afraid of that evil Henry Tudor in London? He can't hurt you here."
"I'm not afraid of anyone!" To hide her feelings, Catherine lay back with the fashion magazine she was reading spread over her face, shading her eyes from the sun. In just a few minutes, she reckoned Mrs. Holliday would get tired of reading and go to sleep.
Catherine wanted to explore the island, but she wanted to do it on her own. She also wanted to learn more about Mrs. Holliday and her past. And she wanted to help Anne of Cleves fight Henry Tudor! Part of that meant modeling, and trying to look her best. But she could do all that and still learn more on her own. All she had to do was pretend to take a little nap, like a good little girl. And when Mrs. Holliday was fast asleep . . .