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seen her. Surprisingly, given that she had been eighteen when they had first met at Almack’s last year, she even seemed a little taller than before, although he doubted that anyone other than himself with his eye for infinitesimal detail would notice it. But odder than that, Justine had made no cutting remarks, despite being obviously unimpressed with Dermot Leahey’s
    paintings, and she had not flirted with him in the least, although she had perhaps been a little too encouraging with Leahey. He frowned, wondering if Justine’s apparent interest in the artist was genuine or merely designed to make him jealous. If so it wouldn’t work. He liked her enormously and found their usual flirtations undeniably fun, but he had not yet decided if he wanted Justine Beresford for his wife and he would make up his mind in his own good time and not a moment before.
    All in all she had behaved very oddly though and he wondered why, persisting in addressing him by his title when they had exchanged Christian names almost on their first meeting last June at Justine’s insistence. Yet this new formality had somehow made him feel more comfortable with her and he suddenly wanted to see her again, soon. He could call on her, he reflected, the Beresford family all counted him as a friend, it would not be too forward of him. Then he remembered the Lockton House ball was coming up the day after tomorrow. Justine was bound to be there, everyone always was. He hadn’t decided whether or not he would attend, but suddenly the prospect of seeing Justine there made it quite enticing. He would go and see how things progressed.
     

Chapter 3
     
    ‘ Have you heard the news?’ Madeline said the moment Annabel stepped into the carriage the following afternoon. The cousins had arranged to shop in Berwick Street for fabric as Madeline had declared that it was important now to prepare their mid-season dresses. They were being chaperoned by Aunt Delilah while Mrs Black attended a committee meeting, but Annabel was quite sure that it was Madeline who would dictate which shops they visited. Now about to embark on her fourth season, Madeline saw herself as quite the expert in fabrics, dress styles and millenary. Privately, Annabel didn’t see the need for this afternoon’s expedition, she was quite certain that her impressive wardrobe of beautiful new dresses with their matching shoes, her new bonnets and her three pelisses, the most luxurious of which was dark rose, lined in the palest of pink silk and trimmed with lace from Limoud, would be enough to take her through the whole season, but unexpectedly Mrs Black had agreed with Madeline.
    ‘Although it may be for the first and last time,’ she had observed dryly to Annabel the evening before, ‘I do think Madeline is right, a new wardrobe half way through the season can make quite an impact. Even gentlemen such as Henry who quite honestly professes to know nothing of women’s attire, will notice the stir a young lady can make with a fresh look. He would not notice the dress itself but he could not fail to be aware of the impact she has made on those who are more observant than himself.’ Did her mother think she was in particular need of making an impact in her first season? Annabel couldn’t help but wonder, and the possibility that Mrs Black feared that her first season would be her only real chance to impress if the circumstances of her adoption became generally known wended itself insidiously into her mind. On the other hand she was about to embark on an afternoon of wholly frivolous shopping with her cousins and aunt, who was getting quite as excited about the first ball of the season as her daughters, and Annabel couldn’t worry for long.
    ‘What news are you talking about?’ she asked Madeline as the footman swung the carriage door closed behind her and she settled in the seat next to Augusta, with her back to the horses.
    ‘There has been a robbery. A valuable picture has been stolen