Chapter 1

Charles Collins – CC – took a deep breath and knocked on his Principal’s door.

“Come!”

Jeremy Snook, senior partner in Snook, Brailsford and Quinn, Solicitors at Law, smiled as CC entered. “Charles! What can I do for you?”

CC hesitated. “Sir, I’m really grateful you took me on for my Training Contract. This is a great firm to work for, and I’m learning a lot, but...” he paused and took a deep breath. “I want to get married, and I’ll need to live in Cambridge. I was hoping...”

“I would be sorry to lose you, Charles. You would certainly have been in line for a junior partnership in time, if you stayed. Do your parents know about this?”

“That’s the thing. They’ve tolerated my lady, but they’ll not be happy that I want to marry her.”

“Ah – your father has spoken of this. Your lady’s the young Russian orphan?”

“Um, yes. She’s very bright, and will be starting in Girton College in the autumn, but Mum and Dad, especially Mum, can’t get past her origin, her lack of family connections.”

“I can understand that, even if I don’t agree.” He thought for a moment. “As it happens, I know the Principal of a reputable firm in Cambridge – James Fuller of Thompson, Thompson, Fuller and Kant. He might find a place for you; I’ll have a word with him. When will you tackle your parents?”

“I want to present them with a fait accompli. I need to ask permission of Nadiya’s foster parents, and I need to persuade Nadiya to accept. I know she loves me, but she’s caught up on the idea she’ll hurt my career and my relationships within my family.”

“And she’s not wrong about that, is she?”

“No, I suppose not. But she’s more important to me than my family’s opinion. They may react badly, but they’ll come round eventually. I’d rather be a small-town solicitor with Nadiya than big time without her. Anyway, it’s the right thing to do.”

“Very well, Charles – you’re old enough to make your own decisions. I’ll see what I can do. You’d better get back to work, though. What are you on at the moment?”

“That conveyancing for old Missus Pollen.”

The older man smiled. “Off you go, then, and try not to get too excited.”

CC chuckled, unwillingly. “I’ll try.” and left.

“Mister Henderson? It’s CC. Charles Collins,” he added, unnecessarily. “Nadiya is expecting me to pick her up Friday evening – it’ll be about half-seven, I expect. Could I have a private word with you when I get there? Thank you.”

“Well, come in, CC. Nadiya’s upstairs with Pippa just now. Why don’t we go to my study?” Then once ensconced in Conrad Henderson’s study: “So – what’s on your mind, son?”

“Um, well, I want to marry your daughter.”

“Yes? Which one?”

“Nadiya, sir.”

The older man smiled. “I assumed so – I was teasing you. Will she agree?”

CC sighed. “Eventually, I hope. I’m sure she wants to, but she’s still caught up in her reluctance to ‘burden’ me with her past.”

“I can understand that. It demonstrates her love for you more clearly than words. CC, I think you know my wife and I have the highest of opinions of you. If you can get her to agree, then we’ll give our blessing. The wedding will be on us, too.”

“Thank you, sir. There was one other thing...”

“Yes?”

“Serendipity. My parents are unlikely to approve the match. I have sufficient funds in my own right, with my salary, to support her, but maintaining Serendipity will be more than I can manage, I think. I’ll be discussing her with Pippa. It would be sensible for us to sell her.”

“That would be a pity. Let me think about that. I don’t suppose Nadiya would turn down a half-share in the boat. We’ll see what Pippa thinks.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“So, off you go and have a good weekend with Nadiya, CC.”

Outside of Henderson Pere’s study, CC encountered Nadiya, standing with Pippa.

“CC!” Pippa spoke first. “Are you sure you want me along? I don’t want to be the gooseberry.”

“I told her, CC,” Nadiya interjected before he could speak, “Neither of us mind having her with us.”

“Absolutely!” CC didn’t have to feign agreement. He was very fond of Nadiya’s adoptive sister who had, in fact, been his first real girlfriend. They had even given each other their virginities during the cruise in which Nadiya had been rescued from her slavery. While such a prior relationship could easily have made for problems, Pippa loved both of them and was pleased Nadiya had a chance at happiness.

“Well, if you’re sure...”

They travelled together in CC’s BMW to Maldon, unloaded the supplies they needed for the weekend, checked the level of diesel (although they’d filled up on their return from their last outing) and flushed and filled the drinking-water tank.

Serendipity wouldn’t lift high enough out of her mud berth until just before high water, so they made tea (for Nadiya) and coffee for Pippa and CC, and sat to talk.

I suspect that all of them were aware of the elephant in the cabin, so to speak, and the conversation was erratic. At ten o’clock they made sandwiches and ate them as Serendipity began to lift out of the mud, and they prepared to get underway as soon as they’d finished. With a southerly wind, none of them were keen enough to want to beat against the wind in the narrow confines of Maldon harbour and the upper reaches of the Blackwater estuary, so they motored out of the berth and downstream to Osea Island. While CC was at the wheel, Pippa made an unusual request of Nadiya.

“Nadiya, remember when you first came aboard here?”

“Of course, Pippa. You were so kind to me. As you have been ever since.”

“Tonight, will you sleep with me, please? Like you did back then?”

“But, why...”

“Sister, I haven’t had much chance to talk to you since I left for Uni. I’d like to do that. I’m sorry to keep you apart from CC, but ... will you?”

“Of course I will. I love you, Pippa. Not like CC, but I really do love you.”

They picked up a mooring at Stone as the best option with the wind as it was, though it was not really strong enough to be a problem anyway, and prepared for bed.

“CC, Pippa asked me to sleep with her tonight. She wants to talk to me. I ... I’ll miss you, but, I feel...”

She could sense his disappointment, but he said steadily, “Of course, your sister is important. We’ll have our time.”

“Thank you, CC, darling.” She reached out and pulled his head down for a kiss which was gentle, though they both sensed the restrained passion. She drew away. “Better not get too involved.”

“No. Quite.”

Pippa was already in bed in the fore-cabin when Nadiya joined her and snuggled into her embrace. “I always feel safe and secure when I’m with you,” Nadiya said.

“That’s good,” Pippa murmured, and they lay there for some time without sleeping. “Nadiya,” she began tentatively, “I wanted to talk to you. When we’ve finished, you can go back to CC if you want to.”

She felt Nadiya tense in her arms. “What is wrong?”

“Well, you know I love you?” She felt Nadiya nod. “And you know I’m very fond of CC?” Nadiya didn’t respond outwardly. “Nadiya, you’re hurting my friend, and you’re hurting yourself. You told him ‘yes’ during that charter you did, didn’t you? Then changed your mind. You’ll never find a better man, you know.”

They were silent for a long time, but Pippa could feel Nadiya shaking in her arms, and soon enough felt a damp spot on her t-shirt from the younger girl’s tears.

“Pippa, I can’t let him tie himself to a prostitute. I can’t let him estrange himself from his family and wound his career. I love him too much.”

“Nadiya, you weren’t a prostitute, you were the victim of horrendous abuse. If CC didn’t respect you as well as love you, he wouldn’t want to marry you. Look, you’re bright; you caught up with years of school despite being in a foreign country, speaking a foreign language. You’re beautiful...”

Nadiya was shaking her head against Pippa’s pillowy bosom.

“Yes, you are. It would be easy to be jealous of you, but you’re such a lovely person that that would be impossible. Look, love, think about it. There’s no need for two people I’m fond of, who are important to me, to both be unhappy. Amor vincit omnia, you know.”

Unwillingly, Nadiya giggled. “Trust you to trot that out. I’m not convinced.”

“CC will be successful in his career. I’m not sure he’ll stay with it, though, if you’re not beside him. His parents will come round, especially if you do well at Uni. Graduate well. Get a good job. Then when you’re settled and secure, present his parents with grandchildren. That’ll reconcile them to you even if they haven’t seen your virtues before.”

Nadiya didn’t respond and not long after that, Pippa was asleep. Nadiya lay awake for quite a while, thinking about what her adopted sister had said, but eventually joined her in slumber.

She slept uneasily and woke not many hours later, well before dawn. Pippa had relaxed so Nadiya could slip out of the bed without disturbing her. So familiar was she with the layout of the yacht that she was able to make her way aft without bumping into anything. She paused in the galley for a sip of water, then left the saloon to cross the cockpit and reach the master cabin at the stern.

There are two hatches, which open one on each side of the double berth in the master cabin right at the stern of Serendipity. Automatically she chose the smaller, port side hatch, and wriggled through it, guessing correctly that CC would be on the starboard side of the bed. She slipped carefully in behind him and laid on her back next to him, but not touching.

He stirred and rolled abruptly over, which put him touching her. He sighed, and his hand slid under her t-shirt and over her cool skin to rest on her breast. He made a contented humming sound in his throat and his breathing settled once more. She was certain he’d never actually woken.

‘This is right. This is how it should be,’ she thought, at ease at last with herself and the relationship. She slipped back into sleep, more deeply this time.

When she woke, there was something missing – she was alone in bed. There were noises, movement on deck, the usual sounds of a boat at anchor in tidal waters; the slap of waves against the sides of the boat, the noise of the anchor-chain jerking with the chop, the tapping of halyards against the masts. All was as it should be. Nearly.

She rolled across the bed and put her bare feet to the sole. When she emerged from the cabin, CC was coming aft with the black ball and dropped into the cockpit to fold it and drop it in a locker.

“Good morning, Sweetheart.”

She stepped into his arms. “Good morning, Charles.”

“Pippa is making bacon sandwiches for breakfast.”

“That is good. Charles, Pippa spoke to me last night. She made me think.”

“Oh?” he stroked her back and kissed her head. “And what did you think?”

“I think if you still want me, the poor Russian orphan, you can have me.”

“Nadiya, you aren’t poor, or Russian, any more. You’re the daughter of a wealthy man. Nadiya, I love you. Will you marry me?”

She took a deep breath, gazing up into his eyes. “Yes, Charles, I will marry you.”

His embrace slackened momentarily as he let out a whoop of pure joy. “Yes!” before squeezing her to himself. Although she had a little difficulty getting her breath, she only felt security and love, as if they really were one person at that moment.

Pippa peered out through the companionway hatch. “What’s all the noise about, you two?”

“She said yes!” CC laughed. “Pippa, Nadiya’s going to marry me!”

“Well, great! And about time too, both of you.”

CC got his excitement under control sufficiently to kiss his fiancée. When they separated, she told him, “You need to say thank you to Pippa. She helped me to get my head straight.”