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CHAPTER ONE

THE SACRED SNUFF BOX

Lady Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akelda, unfortunately, did not feel the same about Lady Prudence She inspired, at even the best balls, a sensation of immanent dread It was one of the reasons she was always at the top of all invitation lists Dread had such an agreeable effect on society’s upper crust

“Private balls are sothan public ones” Rue, unaware of the dread, chirruped in delight to her dearest friend, the Honourable Miss Primrose Tunstell

Rue was busy drifting around the rooly after her, the s them both

“You are too easily amused, Rue Do try for a tone of disinterested refine behind Rue and was unfussed by this role She had started when they were both in nappies and had never bothered to alter a pattern of some twenty-odd years Adood deal better

Pri officer near the punch She earing an exquisite dress of iridescent ivory taffeta with rust-coloured velvet flowers about the bodice to which the officer gave due appreciation

Rue only grinned at Pririn

Theypair, as one smitten admirer put it, in his cups or he would have known better than to put it to Rue herself “Both of you smallish, roundish, and sweetly wholesome, like perfectly exquisite dinner rolls” “Thank you for my part,” was Rue’s acerbic reply to the poor sot, “but if I ood, at least make me a hot cross bun”

Rue possessed precisely the kind of personality to athering proved limited in scope This was another reason she was so often invited to private balls The widely held theory was that Lady Akeldama would become the party were the party to be lifeless, invaded by undead, or otherwise sub-par

This particular ball did not need her help Their hosts had installed achandelier that looked like hundreds of tiny well-lit dirigibles wafting about the room The attendees were charmed, mostly by the expense In addition, the punch flowed freely out of aquartet tinkled robustly in one corner, and the conversation frothed it Rue floated through it all on a puffy cloud of ulterior motives

Rue ht have attended, even withoutvery wealthy, very inbred, and very conscientious of both, thus thesorts of people Rue was never one to prefer one entertainht amuse herself and infiltrate in pursuit of snuff boxes at the same time, all the better

“Where did he say it was kept?” Pri officer had gone off to dance with some other lady

“Oh, Prih the first waltz?” Rue rebuked her friend without rancour, ravation

“So says the lady who hasn’t waltzed with Mr Rabiffano” Prim turned to face the floor and twinkled at her forentlene at her from across the room “Aside from which, Mr Rabiffano is so very proud andcombination with that pretty face and vast h it pains hi”

“Oh, really, Prim, I know he looks no e”

“Like fine brandy, most of the best men are,” was Prim’s cheeky answer