‘Oh, I am so cross this evening!’ declared Caroline to Amelia. ‘You have no idea how provoking the gentlemen have been since they went to their horrid prizefight yesterday.’
‘But they were looking forward to the event for days – they talked of nothing else,’ Amelia protested. She took the glass of lemonade Caroline was holding out to her. ‘You are looking as immaculate as always, Caro. I love this hooped trimming on your gown – and the little silk roses.’
‘Darling, I know your sweet ways, Millie but your flattery does not stop me from feeling cross. You have not had to sit through a meal with two men who do nothing but frown and snap if you ask them a question. I am certain they have all had a big quarrel but we ladies are not to know.’
‘Well, that makes me glad we ladies do not bother with such sporting events if that is how it ends,’ declared Amelia, turning towards Kitty. ‘Do you agree with me, Kitty?’
Kitty looked at her blankly. ‘I am so sorry,’ she said, ‘I was not paying attention.’
‘Oh, really! Whatever has come over you?’ exclaimed Amelia, half laughing and half cross. ‘Ever since the masked ball, you have been lost in thought. Goodness knows what set you off.’
‘Those wonderful flowers have given me a craving to travel the world,’ replied Kitty. It was the best excuse she could think of. Until she saw Theo again, she felt unable to make any decision about what that kiss had meant. Had he just been flirting with her? She knew Caroline would think so, but to Kitty it seemed that he had given in to his feelings spontaneously, as she had. But why had he not made any effort to see her in the five days since the ball?
The memory of that kiss still made her go hot whenever she thought of it, which was very frequently. She stifled a sigh and roused herself to answer Millie’s question.
‘I wonder if they had other things to discuss,’ she said, sipping her drink thoughtfully.
‘Whatever can you mean?’ squeaked Amelia.
‘Oh, gentlemen have all kinds of business,’ said Kitty, thinking of the mysterious letter that had been so important to two of them, at least.
Caroline raised her glass to her lips. ‘They could be quarrelling over you, Millie.’
Amelia looked startled.
Caroline shook her head. ‘Poor Greg Thatcham is certainly smitten. And Freddy always was your champion, so he has been bristling like a guard dog.’ She gave a wry smile. ‘Of course, we are so used to you and your beauty we do not always appreciate just what the effect is on strangers. But no, it was not a duel between those two – nothing of that kind. Poor William, he never can keep secrets so I know the problem involved Greg and Theo. He said everyone saw them arguing in a very heated way.’
‘And that spoiled the atmosphere for the whole group!’ said Amelia.
Kitty would have liked to ask for more details. But at least she knew where Theo was. He is still arguing, she thought, hiding a smile. A movement close by drew her attention.
‘Here comes one gentleman who seems still to be in a good humour.’ Kitty kept her gaze on Etienne, who was approaching with his light step.
‘Ladies.’ His smiling gaze embraced them all. ‘The second half of the recital is about to begin. I have come to escort you back into the hall.’
They stood up and began moving along the corridor. Kitty found Etienne by her side. As always, he was faultlessly dressed. She stole a glance at his classic profile and thick, sleek hair. It was now several days since she had seen him manhandled by the Irish bully. It was hard to believe it had really happened.
Suddenly he stopped and lightly took her arm, obliging her to stop also. Standing so close to him, Kitty could smell the faint scent of vetyver. She looked into his eyes and slowly registered that his expression was serious. Had he seen her on that day, after all?
‘Have you come across Mr Thatcham today?’ he asked, in a low voice.
She had not expected such a question and blinked at him in surprise. She shook her head.
‘In that case.…’ He bit his lip, not seeming to know how to go on.
Kitty was puzzled. ‘Surely, sir, you were all together at a – a sporting event yesterday?’
He flashed her a sombre glance. ‘Indeed we were. But it was not a happy party, I fear. Mr Weston—’ He checked himself.
‘Yes?’
‘Forgive me, mademoiselle, I should not be speaking of my concerns. You are a friend of Mr Weston, is it not so? Come, the other ladies have returned to the hall. We shall be late.’
‘Never mind,’ protested Kitty, thoroughly alarmed by his manner. ‘Please do not leave me to imagine something dreadful. I can see you are worried.’ She looked at him very earnestly. He cast a quick glance up and down the deserted corridor. Through the closed door, the faint sounds of a violin could be heard, shortly followed by a tenor voice singing.
‘We are already too late. We cannot interrupt them for the moment,’ she urged, ‘you have time to tell me.’
Etienne sighed. ‘Very well. Yesterday, a large group of us went to watch a prizefight. It was out of town – at Richmond. It was a large party but not very harmonious.’ He raised an eyebrow and shrugged expressively. ‘Lord Lynsford was not his usual cheerful self – but enough of that. Suffice it to say that we split into smaller groups to watch the event. That part of the day went well enough. We agreed to meet afterwards at a hostelry to refresh ourselves before returning to London.’ He stopped for a moment and looked very earnestly at Kitty. ‘However, Mr Thatcham did not appear.’
Kitty stared at him. ‘Why was that?’
He shrugged. ‘I cannot tell. At the start of the day he had a black eye. He was knocked down in his room a few nights ago.’
Kitty nodded. She clasped her hands together tightly. ‘But surely he has recovered from that?’ she faltered.
‘He said he felt well enough to come along to the prizefight.’ Etienne stopped and took a few steps away. He turned back towards Kitty and pressed a hand to his brow. ‘I am not sure I should mention this, but.…’ He hesitated.
Kitty’s heart was thumping uncomfortably. ‘Please do not stop there. I am full of suspense now.’
He shrugged. ‘Very well, then. I could not help overhearing Mr Thatcham and Mr Weston arguing. They became quite heated. There was some mention of a letter. When Mr Thatcham did not join us at the hostelry after the prizefight and Mr Weston had a face of – of thunder—’
‘Like thunder,’ corrected Kitty. ‘But please go on.’
‘Well, since the end of the fight, I cannot discover anyone who has seen Mr Thatcham. He is definitely not in London. And now Mr Weston’ – he grimaced – ‘has not shown his face in town today.’
‘Oh!’ Kitty pressed a hand to her mouth. Acold knife of fear twisted in her stomach. She remembered Greg’s plea for help and his grateful look when she hid the letter for him. Was it so important that he had been attacked a second time because of it? I am involved in this, whatever it is, was her next thought. She walked jerkily over to a seat and sank on to it.
Etienne followed her. ‘Are you unwell? Can I get you a glass of wine?’
Kitty shook her head. ‘I just need time to think.’ He had mentioned Theo and in a way that suggested suspicion. Surely … but Kitty could see no reason to doubt Theo’s loyalty to his friend. ‘I am sure it is all a mistake,’ she said firmly. ‘No doubt we shall meet Mr Thatcham around town tomorrow.’
Etienne inclined his head. ‘Let us hope so,’ he replied ironically. ‘However, sometimes debt can make a man desperate.’
‘How could attacking a friend solve a problem of debt?’
‘If that person was carrying a valuable secret, and the other needed money.…’ Etienne raised his hands expressively and shook his head. He leaned forward, his face very close to hers. ‘I am sorry to give you such bad news.’ Suddenly he seized her hand and kissed it. ‘Miss Towers, do you know how delightful you look with your beautiful eyes so thoughtful. You are a very brave young lady. And now I will get you a glass of wine.’
The next morning, Kitty managed to drink her breakfast cup of tea but the slice of bread and butter remained untouched on her plate. She had spent a restless night worrying over her part in this unpleasant situation. Etienne had implied that Theo was connected with Greg’s disappearance. That meant she was in part responsible because she had handed the letter to Theo. She had felt at the time that he was very tense – could it mean he was plotting something against his friend?
Kitty shook her head instinctively at this idea. He had told her he owed his life to Greg – surely no one would forget such a debt? Yet Etienne had hinted at money problems. It seemed that lack of money forced men to do bad things. Kitty suspected that she had stumbled into one of these areas of complicated diplomatic business that took place in amongst social events.
She pushed away her plate and rose from the table. Someone very ruthless was following Greg. How could she help to find him? She shrugged away the idea that this might put herself in danger. Deep in thought, she mounted the stairs to her room.
‘Of course!’ she exclaimed out loud, making the maid jump. ‘Caroline!’ She dressed in another new gown made by Miss Dilworth, a fawn twill morning dress trimmed with braid and with a double flounce round the hem. She smoothed her curls into a fashionable topknot and set her new bonnet carefully on her head. Soon she was on her way to Caroline’s vast mansion in Cavendish Square.
When Kitty was shown into the dressing-room, Caroline’s maid was fastening the buttons down the back of her very smart silk gown. Caroline adjusted the sleeves, considered herself in the mirror and nodded.
‘That will do. You may go.’
The maid curtsied and slipped out of the room.
Caroline turned to the pile of shawls laid out on top of a chest. She held them up, one after the other, her attention seemingly focused on them. Without looking at Kitty, she said, ‘So what brings you here at this early hour? Has your aunt heard about your indiscreet behaviour last night?’
Kitty shook her head. Caroline had already scolded her about her long tête-à-tête with Etienne. ‘You know he is a great favourite with my aunt,’ she reminded her friend. But what would Caroline say if she knew about Theo and the kiss that Freddy had interrupted? It did not bear thinking about.
Caroline finally selected a long, fringed shawl and arranged it over her elbows. She glanced up and fixed Kitty with a warning look. ‘Whatever your aunt thinks is beside the point: she does not go into society nowadays. After your lack of conduct at the concert last night, people are going to talk.’
‘What was I to do? He said it was an urgent matter.’
‘Darling, you just never – ever – allow yourself to be alone with Etienne. Everyone knows he is a rake and that he can only marry a fortune.’
‘But he is so devastatingly handsome,’ murmured Kitty, half to herself.
‘You see!’ Caroline cast up her eyes. ‘I fear you will be his next victim.’
‘Oh no!’ To her annoyance, Kitty felt her cheeks go red. ‘I find him charming to talk to but—’
‘To flirt with,’ Caroline corrected, looking at her very sternly.
‘I did not mean it so,’ retorted Kitty. ‘Tell me, Caro, do you know what has happened between Mr Thatcham and Mr Weston? Apparently they have not been seen for a couple of days.’
‘Do not talk to me about Theo Weston!’ was the pettish reply. ‘If he was not such an old friend of William’s, I would keep my distance.’
Kitty looked at her in amazement. ‘But you all seem to be on such easy terms with each other.’
Caroline lifted one shoulder. ‘Darling, he is William’s oldest friend. But he has a devil-may-care reputation. He is very wild, or he was until he was so ill.’
‘Is that what makes him moody?’
Caroline looked closely at her. ‘You are taking a keen interest in him. I thought you were encouraging our dear Etienne in his attentions.’
Kitty sighed. ‘Are they all such sad rakes?’ she asked. ‘And do they quarrel often?’
‘How can I tell? Men have such odd notions – a gambling debt, a bet, they have to settle these matters by duelling. They call it the code of honour. Then they all go to some prizefight together and become friends again.’
‘Only it seems to have worked the other way round this time,’ muttered Kitty. She was no wiser and left feeling as troubled as when she had arrived. She considered Theo’s moody personality. He had a dangerous side to him, that was certain. But he genuinely cared about helping the poor. In a bad mood he was unapproachable, but even if he quarrelled with his friend, she felt in her heart that he would never harm him. There had to be a different reason why they had both vanished.