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piece of work she found he was there, two steps ahead of her, almost as if he were waiting for her to join him, but she had no wish to embarrass herself by pursuing an acquaintance with a man to whom she had not been introduced and she hung back. She had plenty of opportunity to observe him however, and she found her eyes were repeatedly drawn to him. There was something in his debonair appearance and composed manner which made her want to look and look at him, as if she were drinking him with her eyes. The other person who distracted her was Mr Leahey. He hovered nearby and whenever Annabel lingered in one place for more than a few seconds he made a move as if to join her, but his grand offer to give her a painting had made her quite uncomfortable and she took care to keep herself a step out of reach at all times.
    ‘ I’m just going to have a word with Leahey about one or two of those paintings of his,’ Colonel Black said to Annabel as they gathered in the foyer at the end of the evening to await their carriages. Without waiting for a reply he whisked away, leaving Annabel standing in the corner, alone in the thinning crowd. She busied herself with donning her blue gloves and hoped her father wouldn’t take too long. He had already sent Bill, the groom, for the carriage and one thing her mother had always impressed on her was the unfairness of sending servants out into the cold only to keep them waiting, but Mrs Black had enjoyed minimal success in training her husband with regard to this.
    ‘Mr Leahey’s paintings did not seem to be entirely to your taste, but I trust the sculptures were more to your liking, Miss Black?’ Although she hadn’t seen him approaching, Mr Denham did not make her jump this time, but she wondered at the particular emphasis he put onto her name.’
    In truth, Annabel had not found herself able to concentrate on the sculptures. She had been so intent on keeping Mr Leahey at a distance without appearing to do so, hoping to avoid a repeat of his outrageous offer, but Mr Denham didn’t need to know that. ‘I found the sculptures to be very tastefully done,’ she said.
    ‘ How unlucky it is that none of the sculptors are here tonight,’ Mr Denham said gravely, ‘or with praise like that you might have found yourself gifted with several pieces of their work.’
    ‘As the sculptures are so discreetly done, I am sure that the sculptors themselves have equally discreet natures and none would make so forward an offer.’ Annabel snapped, hoping the sculptures, particularly the nudes, had been modestly presented, although in truth she really could not recall any of them specifically. Really, anyone would think she had asked Mr Leahey to give her the painting.
    Mr Denham laughed, ‘You are so wonderfully easy to tease.’ Annabel was incensed, she barely knew the man, yet he felt he could openly admit to such a familiarity. She knew she should snub him as coldly as possible and walk off, but she felt reluctant to turn away from those laughing blue eyes, even though what they were laughing at present was herself. Then Mr Denham seemed to sober. ‘Mr Leahey seemed rather taken with you,’ he said.
    ‘And most people here seem rather taken with him,’ she said, sounding a little irritable even to herself. She attempted to modify the harshness in her tone, ‘as well they should, since he is the featured artist and Lord Seaforth’s personal protégé.’
    ‘But you seem less impressed,’ Mr Denham said, looking at her closely.
    Annabel shrugged, not sure what to make of his regard, but feeling a warmth come to her cheek under his scrutiny as if the mere touch of his eyes was making her glow just a little. She forced herself to reply coolly. ‘His paintings are not to my taste, but I am sure Mr Leahey himself is perfectly pleasant even if he is somewhat over-enthusiastic.’
    ‘Ha!’ Mr Denham laughed loudly. ‘I would have expected you to have been rather more flattering. I thought you