A Gilded Grave Read Online Free PDF Page B

so much better,” Cassie said, fanning her face vigorously and looking around. “I was afraid I was going to wilt. Oh, there’s Vlady Howe.” She lifted her eyebrows. “He’s even richer than Lord David.”
    She started off and Deanna followed, past a knot of gossiping young ladies, several middle-aged men smoking cigars, and toward a quartet of younger men who’d managed to snag a bottle of champagne and were quietly and deliberately getting drunk.
    “Ah, Cassie, you wonderful creature. Just in time.” Vlady was a muscular young man, tall enough and certainly good-looking. A little too much of the playboy flair for Deanna’s taste, but he suited Cassie just fine, and she’d been on the catch for him since last season.
    “I’m parched.” Cassie reached for the champagne bottle, but Vlady snatched it back.
    “Not so quickly. Close your eyes.”
    Cassie closed her eyes.
    “Open your mouth.”
    Cassie opened her mouth and tilted her chin up, which lifted her décolleté with it. Vlady openly admired it before he poured a stream of champagne into her mouth.
    Cassie swallowed, choking and laughing as she batted at his arm, which had stolen around her waist and was pulling her closer.
    No one offered to pour champagne down Deanna’s throat. She was as disappointed as she was relieved. She turned to look out across the lawn, where couples were strolling down to the sea or looking for a dark niche in which to carry on an affair.
    Deanna knew about these things, mainly from Cassie. And from Joe’s grandmother—whom Deanna called “Gran Gwen”—who had explained the way of the world to her. “Since I know your mother won’t, and God forbid you find yourself in a situation that can’t be rectified by good manners.”
    Deanna smiled, remembering that first talk. She’d blushed then, but she’d been grateful. At least she had some knowledge of the world, if only vicariously.
    Vlady pulled Cassie closer, and they started across the lawn.
    “Oh, do come on, Deanna,” Cassie said. “Herbert, bring Deanna along. There’s a good boy.”
    Herbert Stanhope clicked his heels together in a way that made them all laugh and took Deanna’s arm. She considered demurring, but everyone else was granted more freedom than her mother allowed, and it didn’t seem fair that she had to miss all the fun.
    They followed the brick walk to the cliff, passing between topiary beasts that sprouted from giant marble urns. The rising moon appeared and disappeared through the scudding clouds, and shadows of dolphins, peacocks, and rabbits dove before them as they laughed their way to the cliffs.
    And Deanna began to enjoy herself immensely.
    Two of Vlady’s friends began an impromptu dance among the animals and then ran headlong toward the cliff. Deanna was about to cry out to warn them when they stopped abruptly, turned, and bowed comically to their audience of four and waited for them to catch up.
    The air was so much cooler here, and the breeze from the water ruffled Deanna’s hair. She lifted her face to sky, felt the salt air on her skin, and reveled in the unexpected freedom.
    Until Cassie exclaimed, “Lord, what is that? Down on the rocks? Vlady, look. What is it?”
    Her voice had become suddenly shrill. They all peered over to the rocks below. Something lay tangled in the shadows. At first it looked like spots of light against the dark of the rocks, but as Deanna looked more closely, she could make out the shape of—
    “Good lord, someone is down there,” Vlady said. “Hello there! I say! Are you all right?” He turned to the others. “I don’t want to interrupt a tryst, but this looks— Cassie, stay here.” He thrust Cassie aside, and she grabbed hold of Deanna as the men began to scramble down the steps to the cliff walk and then climb down the rocks below.
    “What are they doing?” Cassie asked.
    “I think someone is hurt.”
    “Who could it be?” Cassie moved to the edge of the walk. Deanna didn’t want to