Ladies Who Launch Read Free

holiday more than ever now.
    Sumeer returned a few minutes later with the delicious news that yes, they had a spare cabin they could let her have at a reduced price. Selina didn’t care if she had to pay double because
money was no object to her; at least she had that on her side. The room would need to be prepared, Sumeer explained. Selina replied that she would pack and return to Reception with her suitcase and
any documentation they might need.
    The walk back up to her cabin felt so long and momentous and she found she was shaking as she slid her cruise card into the lock and the door flashed the green open light. Zander was sitting on
the balcony reading his book – a Jeffrey Archer; she had never forgotten the title:
False Impression.
His head had swivelled towards her; there was no expression on his face. He was
so handsome, always so handsome, and yet the sight of him with his perfect hair and perfect body had no effect on her at all. It was as if she was looking at a stranger.
    There was no preamble to her announcement, which she delivered in a level and calm voice: ‘When we get to England, I’m filing for divorce.’
    She saw his shoulders lift slightly as he huffed to himself. They’d been at this point many times before and yet she had never carried the threat through and he thought she never would, so
there was no point in even acknowledging her words anymore.
    She badly needed a shower and a change of clothes, but that could wait. Item two on her checklist was packing. Selina reached under the bed and pulled out her suitcases into which she threw her
clothes by the armful; there were enough laundries on board, she’d iron everything later. Zander paid her scant attention, suspecting it was all childish dramatics for his benefit to which he
refused to rise. It was only when he realised she was sifting through the dirty-washing bag to remove her things that he asked her what the bloody hell she thought she was doing.
    ‘I’m moving out,’ she explained, as if it was obvious.
    A hollow dry mirthless laugh came from his lips. ‘Yes, of course you are.’ He returned his attention to Jeffrey safe in the knowledge that after she flounced out she’d have to
come crawling back later with her tail between her legs because she had nowhere to go.
    She was packed and ready to leave in just over five minutes. He let her get on with her ‘tantrum’ ignoring her, a curl to his lips which could have been annoyance or amusement, she
couldn’t tell.
    ‘You really are a ridiculous cow,’ he called after her as she struggled through the door with her two cases.
    A couple were just passing in the corridor and from the look they exchanged it was obvious they had heard the comment. Selina felt ashamed, as she had done on too many previous occasions to
count. But this time she wasn’t going to cry or feel her spirits plummet; she wasn’t going to let his words sink into her like poison until she believed them. She parked the cases
outside the cabin knowing they’d be all right for a minute or so, then – with surprising aplomb – she stepped back into the cabin and closed the door.
    ‘And you, Alexander Goldman are the vilest man on earth.’ Her voice was calm and measured, which was a miracle because there were twenty years of repressed rage inside her, poised to
burst out of her like a jack-in-a-box with a broken spring. ‘I can assure you that the end of this sham of a marriage is finally here. I’d like to wish you well but I can’t,
because I don’t. What I do wish you is double the sort of misery you’ve given me.’
    Still, he didn’t look in the slightest bit convinced that this wasn’t anything other than a show. He gave a ‘huh’ of derision and his eyes drifted back to Mr Archer.
    ‘It’s going to be a rough ride I think, divorcing, but ultimately worth it. The trouble is: I don’t know whether to cite adultery or unreasonable behaviour. Do you have a
preference? I think