Page 36 of Under a Dancing Star

“Go on, then.” Ursula kicks her leg half-heartedly in my direction. “You go.”

“I can’t move. You go.”

“Did someone call for drinks?” Ben appears, a tray in his hands.

“Is that … cold lemonade?” Ursula rallies slightly, lifting the sunglasses up from her eyes to squint at Ben. “Are you a vision? An angel?”

“Lucifer, possibly,” I say, smiling up at him.

“Do you want a drink or not?” Ben asks sweetly.

“Yes, please.” I take the glass he hands me, draining the lemonade inside in one long, thirsty draught. It is icy sweet and lip-tinglingly sour at the same time, and utterly delicious.

“Where have you been?” Ursula asks Ben. Revived by her drink she pulls herself into a sitting position, admiring the biscuity tan on her legs.

“Working,” Ben says, taking a sip and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. My eyes catch there on his lips for a moment. “Like the rest of you should be.”

“Not me,” I point out over Ursula and Klaus’s groans. “I’m on holiday. Or enforced exile, I suppose. Reflecting on my bad behaviour.”

“Well, I should think that’s plenty to keep you occupied.” Ben sits, lowering his feet over the edge into the pool. “It’s like bath water!” he exclaims.

“This heat is unnatural,” Ursula says. “I remember what it was to be cold once.” Her voice takes on a wistful quality. “To have to wrap up in coats and scarves against the biting wind.” She sighs. “I’m actually starting to miss Vienna.”

“Don’t be foolish,” Klaus says, finally dragging himself to his feet. “This place is heaven and you know it.”

“Klaus is right,” I say drowsily. “I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.”

Klaus smiles sweetly at me and I smile back, lowering my eyelashes in what I hope is a flirtatious gesture. There seems to be a lot of fluttering eyelashes in the business of flirtation, and I am supposed to be learning about romance after all.

“Have you got something in your eye?” Ben asks sourly.

“Let me check that for you,” Klaus says smoothly, and he bends down so that his face is close to mine, one hand cupping my chin.

“Hmmm,” he murmurs, his breath fanning warm against my skin. “I don’t see anything.”

“Are you sure?” I ask softly. This is going marvellously. Full marks for flirtation; it seems I am a natural after all.

“He’s sure,” Ben says. “Short of climbing inside your eye he couldn’t be looking more closely.”

Klaus releases my chin and steps back, his eyes laughing. “I think that the heat has got you on edge, my friend.”

“Is it perhaps that our little experiment is not going to plan?” Ursula murmurs. “Perhaps Bea is not as susceptible to your charms as others, Benedick.”

Ben grins, a flash of white teeth in his tanned face. “I think that Bea just needs more exposure to them.” He gets to his feet and holds out a hand to me. “In fact, that is precisely what I came to discuss with you, Bea, if you don’t mind a word in private.” He glances over at Ursula and Klaus, who are watching avidly. “It’s a bit much to ask a man to do all his wooing with an audience.”

“Of course,” I say. “Let’s talk.” I place my hands in his and let him pull me up, then I pick up the trousers pooled by my sun lounger, stepping into them before slipping my feet into my sandals.

Ben leads me around to the other side of a tall laurel hedge before turning to face me. He is, I notice, still holding lightly on to my hand, his fingers tangled through my own.

I look up at him, waiting for him to speak, struck again by how blue his eyes are.

“You’re flirting with Klaus,” he says.

“Oh, am I?” I say, pleased. “That is good. I wasn’t totally sure I was doing it right.”

Ben looks torn between irritation and amusement again. “Oh, you’re doing it right,” he says, his fingers toying gently with mine. “I suppose I just hoped that if there was going to be any flirting it was going to be … well, with me.”

“Oh,” I say.