be said for Mr. Roberts. Not only is he in a strange country, but the conversation at dinner canât have been pleasant for him.â
âNo, I suppose not.â Lucinda looked across the room at the young man in question. âI donât know what they see in each other, really. Heâs much too young for her. I find older men much more interesting.â Her gaze flickered momentarily to Milo as she said this. âIn any event, perhaps I should go and speak to him, since Reggie isnât here to be host.â
âThat would be nice of you.â She was young and quite pretty, and I couldnât help but think it would be much preferable for her to lavish her attentions on an unmarried gentleman of her own age rather than my husband.
I really was being unbearably snide tonight.
She rose, smoothing out her skirt. âIâll just go keep him company for a while, if youâll excuse me.â
I took Lucindaâs vacant seat on the sofa, and Milo sat close beside me.
âCome to rescue me, darling?â
âSheâs not the first of your admirers Iâve had to chase away,â I replied with a smile. âReally, though, Iâm glad you diverted her. I imagine all of this has been rather difficult for her.â
âIâd wager sheâs been a bit neglected.â
âYes, I doubt her brother and sister have had much time for her since they returned to Lyonsgate.â
âIâm sure she shall be excessively diverted by Isobelâs dashing amanuensis.â
One could hope. I hadnât come to discuss Lucinda, however. What I really wanted to do was speak to him about what had occurred at dinner, but we did not have the chance. Reggie and Beatrice came back into the room just then.
âForgive us our absence,â said Beatrice, who appeared completely unruffled by the events of the evening. âHas everyone had their coffee?â
Conversation resumed its normal course as everyone attempted to pretend that the night had not had any impact upon them.
I glanced at Reggie. He stood at his sisterâs side, looking as though he could use a drink.
I was not, apparently, the only one to think so, for Henson came almost at once with a glass upon a tray, the contents of which were not the strong coffee we had been drinking.
âLetâs play a rubber of bridge, shall we?â Laurel suggested suddenly. She was looking at Reggie as she said it.
âOh, I donât thinkâ¦â he began.
âOh, do partner with me, Reggie. We always play so well together.â
He hesitated for only a moment. âVery well.â
âBeatrice?â
âNo, thank you, Laurel.â She took a seat by the fire and lit a cigarette.
âMr. Roberts and I will play,â Lucinda said. She looked at Mr. Roberts expectantly, and he nodded his agreement.
The players moved to a table in the corner, and Gareth Winters wandered over to where we sat.
âIâm glad to have escaped that,â he said. âI donât care for the game.â Somehow I didnât find this surprising. Mr. Winters didnât seem as though he would enjoy maintaining the concentration required to follow the bidding.
âIâm afraid my heart wouldnât be in it this evening,â I admitted. âIt seems you were right this afternoon when you said things were bound to get unpleasant.â
He smiled that vague smile of his. âIâm afraid the worst is yet to come.â
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
UNFORTUNATELY, I COULDNâT disagree.
As soon as politely possible, I made my excuses and retreated to my room, leaving Milo and Mr. Winters to have a drink together. It had certainly been an eventful evening, and I was very tired.
Winnelda was sitting in a chair, which she had dragged perilously close to the fire, and reading a book. She set it aside and sprang to her feet when I came into the room.
âOh, madam!â she said with great
Learning to Kill: Stories