Page 34 (1/2)

Beside me, Lady Brompton’s cousin screeched like a teenie boy-band fan when the bosoio with great verve The lovely Lady Lavinia gave Gideon a radiant s I could see now that she wasn’t quite as young as I’d thought But her singing was great! She sang like Anna Netrebko e heard her at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden two years ago Well, reat as Anna Netrebko’s, but it was a pleasure to listen to her, all the same If you liked ornate Italian operatic arias Which normally I didn’t, to be honest, but thanks to the punch, I did today And obviously, Italian operatic arias went down trehteenth century The people in the roo-whist … Icross

"Can I steal you away for adown at reen lady was otherwise occupied, he’d relad to enjoy a little of your co else I took a deep breath, picked up ht down my throat When I stood up, I felt a pleasant dizzy sensation in lass out of my hand and put it down on one of those tables with the cute little paws

"Was there by any chance anything alcoholic in that?" he whispered

"No, only punch," I whispered back Oops, the floor was kind of uneven here "I don’t drink alcohol on principle, understand? One of my iron principles You can have fun even without alcohol"

Gideon raised one eyebrow and offered ood ti’s hteenth-century floors really did wobble Funny that I hadn’t noticed it earlier "I mean, she may be a little old for you, but don’t let that bother you Or the consolation the Duke of Wherever offers her This really is a great party People here are a lot nicer than I expected So happy to make contact … physical contact" I looked at the piano-playing groper and the second-rate Netrebko "And they obviously like to sing Very nice Makes you feel like ju up at once to join in"

"Don’t you dare," whispered Gideon, leadingWhen he saw us coerhis lips into an expectant s le says you’re not a real count at all Let’s act as if you really had an aristocratic title and weren’t a con le me last time we met And let’s act as if I were stone-cold sober

I let go of Gideon, picked up my heavy red silk skirts, spread them out, and sank into a deep curtsey Only when the count reached out his hand with its s, all set with jewels, did I come up frolint of amusement in his dark brown eyes as he patted ance Others can’t even speak their own nalasses of Lady Bro I lowered lasses, but they’d been worth it, they really had! I couldn’t be sorry I’d shaken off that oppressive, vague feeling of anxiety And I didn’t miss my inferiority complex, either I liked s

"Merci pour le cohtful!" said the count

"I’ hed softly "My dear boy, you were otherwise occupied And after all, today we are first and foremost intent on amusement, are we not? Particularly as Lord Alastair, to who lady, is not yet here However, I have been brought word that he is on his way"

"Alone?" asked Gideon

The count smiled "That makes no difference"

The downroper ended the aria with a rousing final chord, and the count let go of my hand so that he could clap "Isn’t she wonderful? A really fine talent, and so beautiful, too"

"Yes," I said quietly, clapping as well and taking care not to play pat-a-cake "It’s quite so upset htly

Gideon caught rily, his lips close to my ear "We haven’t been here two hours, and you’re totally drunk! What on earth were you thinking of?"

"You said totally I’led In all the noise, no one else could hear us "Anyway, it’s too late No point in locking the stable door after the horse has gone" A hiccup interrupted me--hic "Sorry" I looked around me "But everyone else is nation, okay? I have everything under control You can let go ofthe breakers"

"I’o of s a little farther apart Well, no one could see that, not underneath e skirt

The count, a but a certain grandfatherly pride I glanced at him surreptitiously and was rewarded by a smile that warmed my heart Why had I been so scared of him? It was only with difficulty that I could remember what Lucas had told me--how this same man had cut his own ancestor’s throat…

Lady Broain to thank Mr Merchant and Lady Lavinia for their perforain--she asked for a waruest of honor, the famous, much-traveled Count Saint-Germain, a man surrounded byon his violin today," she said, and Lord Bro up with a violin case as fast as his potbelly allowed The audience, spaced out on punch, roared their enthusiasm This really was a super-cool party

The count s it "I would never drea you, Lady Broers are not as agile as they used to be when I played duets with the notorious Giacoout troublesand sighing ran through the roo I would like to hand the violin over tofriend here," the count went on

Gideon looked slightly shocked and shook his head But when the count raised his eyebrows and said, "Please!" he bowed, took the instrument and the bow, and went over to the pianoforte

The count took my hand "And ill sit on the sofa and enjoy the music, shall we? No need for you to tremble! Sit down, my child You don’t know it, but since yesterday afternoon we have been the best of friends, you and I We had a really, really intimate conversation, and ere able to settle all our differences"