‘Did you push it, or pull it?’ Anna asked, swishing the door open and closed as if to prove her point.

‘I-I don’t know,’ Paula said. ‘I’m just so glad you came along.’ Her eyes filled with tears again and she pulled out a chair and sat down.

Anna studied her. Never had she seen a person’s cheeks so red. Paula’s hair seemed to have swelled to three times its normal size, standing out in a frizzy halo around her head.

‘I can’t believe you’ve been down here all this time. Did your husband not come looking for you?’

Another tear tracked a path down Paula’s face as she shook her head.

‘Right, well it’s nearly dinner time. Come on, you look a bit shaky. Let’s get you back to your cabin.’

‘My bag!’ Paula stopped and wrenched her arm free of Anna. She stared at the row of lockers. ‘My bag isn’t here!’

Anna moved over to the lockers. ‘Which one did you put it in?’

Paula shook her head. ‘I didn’t, I couldn’t open them. I put it on top.’

Anna twisted the knob on one of the lockers and pulled it open. ‘You didn’t get a key from reception?’

‘They wouldn’t open when I tried them!’ Paula’s words caught on a sob and she scrubbed at her eyes. ‘I can’t believe all this is happening to me.’

Anna turned back to her. ‘What was in your bag? Your purse, phone? Anything valuable?’

‘No, just my make-up… a coin purse, I think.’ Paula pulled at the lanyard round her neck. ‘At least I have my cabin key.’

‘We’ll report the bag missing. Hey, maybe you didn’t actually bring it in here. Might you have left it in your room?’

Paula’s features swam with confusion. ‘I don’t know.’ She looked at Anna doubtfully. ‘Maybe.’

Anna patted her shoulder. ‘Let’s get you back to your cabin.’

As she allowed herself to be led by Anna through the stairwells and corridors, Paula began to relax. By the time they reached the Expedition Suite, she felt almost like her old self, as well as thoroughly embarrassed by the tears and panic she had shown in front of the other woman.

‘Oh, we’re practically neighbours,’ said Anna when Paula stopped outside her door. ‘I’m in the suite on the corner.’

Paula pulled at the towel wrapped around herself, which was wringing wet from her escapade in the sauna. ‘I can’t tell you how glad I am you left your bracelet in there,’ she said. ‘Anna, are you on this cruise alone?’

She nodded. ‘I am. I’m treating myself before work gets crazy again in the new year.’