‘What brought you back?’ Sir Philip repeated the question.
For a moment, just a moment, the smile on Lord Dalgliesh’s face flickered. It looked almost like what had happened to me not too long ago. But that was hardly likely, was it? What reason could Lord Dalgliesh have for only pretending to smile?
‘Oh, no great matter,’ he said, smoothly. ‘Just a little unfinished business with an old friend. There’s a game of chess we need to finish.’
I frowned.
‘You came to England, travelled thousands of miles… just to finish a game of chess?’
Turning his head towards me, he cranked his smile up a notch. But his steel-blue eyes didn’t lose their cool, assessing look. Blimey, he was faking! A darn sight more convincingly than I, but he was faking.
‘In a manner of speaking,’ he said, nodding. ‘Though we may use no actual board or figures made from wood.’
My frown deepened. ‘You’ve lost me, Your Lordship.’
‘Do not worry. I can always find you again.’
He turned his head and started a light, flirtatious conversation with Anne, who leapt at the chance of overtaking her sister. I just stood there, shaking my head. This man was… disturbing. As soon as I could manage without seeming offensive, I excused myself. I wanted to get away from him. He was a darn sight too fascinating for me to want to be anywhere near him. I wanted to be alone - maybe find a quiet refreshment table and a chocolate bar. Gripping Ella by the hand, I started to tug her away with me.
‘Come!’ I whispered. ‘It’s time we made ourselves scarce!’
She threw me a grateful look and let herself be dragged away. On her own, she would never have had the nerve to run from that bloody Wilkins. But being forcibly carried off by her sister, that she could manage all right.
‘Can you see where the refreshment tables are?’
Standing on my toes, I tried to determine a safe route through the jungle of people in evening wear barring our way. But it was no good. As soon as we detached ourselves from one group, we were swallowed up by another and welcomed with friendly voices.
Blast! It had all been so much easier when I had been impolite to everybody and scowled instead of smiled. Back then, nobody had given me a second glance.
Oh well, the good old days…
‘Miss Linton! And another Miss Linton,’ a gentleman with a huge waxed moustache greeted us. I couldn’t for the life of me remember his name. ‘Hello and welcome. Join our little group.’
‘Oh no,’ said another gentleman. ‘I’m sure ladies wouldn’t like to listen to our topic of conversation.’
‘Nonsense,’ Gentleman A overrode him. ‘These are no modern, unladylike females. I danced with this young lady,’ he inclined his head towards me, ‘myself, and she was a model of charm and modesty.’
How nice of you. And you were the model of arrogance and idiocy.
‘Why, thank you, Sir,’ I said, curtsying. ‘If I may ask, what is it that you were talking of before we came?’
Gentleman A leaned closer, and so did his companion. ‘Now, I normally wouldn’t be mentioning this in the hearing of any ladies. But I can see you two are sensible, demure and well-bred young girls. So it’s all right.’
I must admit, he had peaked my interest. I was always interested to know what a person like me wasn’t supposed to know.
‘Go on,’ I encouraged.
‘Do you know what is going to happen next Wednesday?’ Gentleman A whispered.
‘No. What, Sir?’
‘There’s going to be a meeting about this confounded nonsense called women’s suffrage.’
‘Indeed, Sir?’
‘Aye. A few influential gentlemen with press contacts are going to meet with sympathetic scholars and scientists at Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park, and try to put a stop to this codswallop once and for all.’
‘Indeed?’
‘Oh yes.’ Gentleman B nodded gravely. ‘Imagine, ladies, that there are actually mad creatures that call themselves women and want to make decisions in politics!’
I shook my head solemnly. ‘You are joking? Can such individuals really exist?’
Ella stared at me, her eyes wide. Then she blinked and quickly turned back to the men. ‘As for my part,’ she ventured demurely, ‘I find politics incredibly complicated. I am very glad that I do not have to deal with them.’
Gentleman B nodded energetically and smiled at Ella. ‘Exactly! That is exactly what I was talking about. I can see you are sensible young girls who know their God-given place in the world, just as my friend said. So, no word about this to anyone, hmm?’ He gave us what was supposed to be a fatherly smile. ‘It will remain our little secret.’
I smiled at him brightly ‘You mean it would be bad if somebody found out about it?’
‘Oh yes.’ Gentleman B gave a vigorous nod. ‘If those infernal suffragists found out, they could use the meeting to spread their insane message.’
‘Ah, I see. Well, every sensible person can see that such a thing must never happen.’
‘Exactly,’ Gentleman A entered the conversation again. ‘Women’s brains aren’t big enough for politics.’
‘Plus,’ added Gentleman B, ‘they do not have the potential for violence that men have, and that is the basis for all stable political systems, a fact that I have pointed out to Parliament on numerous occasions.’
My eyes flicked to Gentleman B.
‘So it was you who came up with that idea, was it?’
‘Yes, indeed.’ He nodded proudly. ‘Why, have you heard of my theories on female vulnerability?’
‘You could say that…’ My eyes narrowed infinitesimally. He didn’t notice. ‘I wonder, Sir, if you would mind stepping into this side-room with me for five minutes. I have something important to demonstrate to you in regard to your theories.’
‘By all means. After you, Miss.’
Five minutes later, I re-entered the ballroom, my hair a bit ruffled, but otherwise perfectly fine. Ella was waiting for me.
‘Where is the gentleman who went with you?’ she asked.
‘He experienced a sudden desire to leave through the back door.’ I gestured to the side-room from which I had just emerged, a smile turning up one corner of my mouth. ‘I believe something in there might have scared him a little.’
My smile widened. All that was missing now was a feast for the victorious warrior! Not far away, I spotted a refreshment table with something brown on it that might be chocolate. Yum!
‘Come,’ I said, grasping Ella by the hand. ‘We could…’
‘Miss Linton? Miss Lilly Linton?’
I turned and stiffened. In front of me was standing none other than Lord Daniel Eugene Dalgliesh, smiling at me as if I were another continent to be added to his empire.
‘It is Miss Lilly, isn’t it?’ The charm-factor of his smile went up another level or two. ‘I’m afraid I might have confused all these lovely Lintons.’
‘Yes, um… yes,’ I muttered. ‘My name is Lilly.’
‘Very well, Miss Lilly. Would you do me the honour of granting me the next dance?’
You could have struck me down with a feather. A piece of fluff would probably have sufficed as a cudgel, too. I stood there, mute, staring up at him.
‘Lill? Lill!’
Somebody was tugging on my arm and whispering in my ear. ‘Lill, answer him! For goodness' sake, please answer him!’
Who… oh yes. Ella. That was my sister’s name, wasn’t it? Lord Dalgliesh. Dancing. Hell’s whiskers! Had he just really asked me to dance with him? The owner of an entire continent wanted to dance with me? Something was wonky in this world!
From somewhere I heard a voice that sounded suspiciously like my own say: ‘Certainly, Lord Dalgliesh. I would love to dance with you.’
A hand grasped mine. It was firm but smooth. The skin of an aristocrat who had never done manual labour. As if in a dream, or maybe a nightmare, Lord Dalgliesh led me onto the dance floor with small, elegant steps.