‘You think some harm’s come to her?’ he said slowly.
Sophy nodded, eternally grateful he hadn’t dismissed her fears or played down the possibility that Cat was in trouble. ‘The police were all ears until I said she was an actress, and then I could tell they thought she’d gone off for some frivolous purpose somewhere, but Cat isn’t like that. They said they’d investigate, but . . .’ She shrugged. ‘Something’s terribly wrong. I know it.’
Kane thought she could be right.
‘I’m sorry to burden you with this,’ Sophy went on, ‘but I didn’t know who else to come to. I – I should have called at a more reasonable time.’
So she knew. Kane’s jaw clenched but beyond that he made no outward sign, his voice calm and cool when he said, ‘You are welcome here any time, you know that. I’ll make a few enquiries of my own, all right? Ralph, the man you met at the door, is an old hand at such things and not easily intimidated, which is why he makes such an excellent manservant for someone like me. His background is . . . unorthodox, but he gets to hear of any rumblings of trouble, and sometimes that can be the success or failure of a production. You’d be surprised how many plays are sabotaged by anxious rivals.’
Nothing would surprise her after this morning. ‘But – but this isn’t a play.’
‘He has contacts, Sophy.’
He didn’t add, ‘in the criminal fraternity’, but Sophy knew what he meant.
‘And he can move easily in places where you or I would stick out like a sore thumb.’
Sophy didn’t ask what sort of places; she didn’t want to know. ‘So you don’t think I’m being silly?’
He smiled, his cornflower-blue eyes crinkling, and suddenly it was the old Kane, the tried and trusted friend. ‘No, I don’t think you’re being silly, but try not to worry. There might be a simple explanation for her absence.’
She couldn’t think of one and she didn’t think Kane could either. The sick churning was back but stronger now he had taken her seriously. She realised part of her had been hoping he would pooh-pooh the likelihood of Cat being in trouble. But Kane was a realist. She thought back to the safeguards which had been in place when she’d worked for him, and suddenly wished herself back a decade. She would make different decisions and not be swept off her feet by stunning good looks like a giddy schoolgirl. Alarmed at the way her thoughts had gone, she stood up. ‘I must go.’
He didn’t invite her to stay, which wasn’t surprising in the circumstances. Instead he said, ‘Ralph is a surprisingly good cook. You must come to dinner sometime. You and Toby, of course.’
And to this Sophy coolly replied, ‘Thank you.’
‘Ralph will stop a cab for you.’
‘There’s no need, I can catch one on the corner and—’
‘Ralph will stop a cab for you,’ he repeated quietly, and his voice was grim when he added, ‘Take every care over the next little while, Sophy. Be alert and on your guard. This sort of thing doesn’t happen very often, but it does happen.’
Again, she didn’t ask him to explain himself because she couldn’t bear to think of what it might mean for Cat.
Toby had recently arrived home when the cab dropped her outside the house. Sadie opened the door to her, whispering, ‘He’s a bit the worse for wear, ma’am, but I can’t get him to go upstairs yet. He wanted to know where you were and I said you couldn’t sleep and had gone for an early morning walk.’
Sophy nodded. Toby had become increasingly paranoid about other men over the last years since the opium had affected his physical capability in the bedroom. He had accused her of having affairs with each of her leading men over this time, along with any other male she came into contact with. Preparing herself for yet another inquisition, Sophy opened the door to the drawing room. It was about half the size of Kane’s splendid drawing room and although she had always been pleased with the furnishings she had chosen, the room seemed cluttered this morning.
Toby was slouched on a sofa on the far side of the room, a cup of coffee at his elbow. He scowled at her and she could see he had trouble focusing. ‘Where’ve you been?’ he muttered as she stood looking at him.
Sophy found she was angry. He stayed out all night whenever he felt like it, was forever critical of her and everything she did, spent money like water and would never admit where he’d been and what he did, and now he had the nerve to question her in this manner? Stiffly, she said, ‘I’ve been to see Kane.’
It clearly wasn’t what he’d expected. He shook his head like a boxer after a heavy blow, running his hand through his mop of fair hair as he sat up straighter. ‘You what?’
‘I’ve been to see Kane Gregory. Cat’s missing. She hasn’t been seen for days and I’m worried about her.’
‘So you went to see him?’ It was aggressive.