Rules of Murder Read Online Free PDF Page B

I’ll trust she’ll rely on my advice.” Constance’s smile turned even more brittle. “About hats.”
    “Your drink,” Drew said as he came up to them, and he handed Constance a milky beverage in a crystal glass. “Now, Mother, as I was saying, Miss Parker—”
    “Oh, no, Ellison.” Constance shook her head. “I really can’t hear to talk over this music, and my head’s a positive torture. I think Madeline and I have a lovely understanding for the moment. You really should take her round to meet some of the other young people.”
    “Sorry about that,” Drew said when they got to the other side of the room. “Nights like this, Mother’s always got something going on.”
    Madeline smiled. “Yes, it seems she does.”
    They watched Nick in flawless evening dress and Carrie in her stylish ice-blue gown whirl by on the dance floor.
    Drew made a slight bow. “I think it time, Miss Parker, that you honored me with a dance or joined me in a Bucks Fizz.”
    Madeline smiled again. “A Bucks Fizz?”
    “My girl! You cannot tell me you’ve never tasted a really fine Bucks Fizz! I believe they call it a mimosa in the States. Champagne and orange juice.”
    Madeline looked up at him, keeping her expression playful. “You realize that stuff is illegal at home, don’t you?”
    “I have heard mention of such things,” Drew said, his tone very wise and knowing. “Do you think they’ll send a policeman round to take you away?”
    “I’ll trust you to protect me.”
    “Does that mean you’ll try one?”
    “All right, but just a taste,” Madeline said. “I’m not much of a drinker really.”
    Drew beamed at her. “Neither am I, to say truth. No use putting on a grand show like this and then not remembering it the next day, eh? All right now, just a taste of Bucks Fizz coming up.”
    Madeline smiled as he disappeared into the crowd, and then spent a moment watching Carrie and Nick still dancing, admiring the soft cloud of red fire that crowned Carrie’s lovely head, set off to perfection by the ice blue of her dress.
    “Thank you for waiting for me.”
    Madeline turned to see David Lincoln standing close beside her, something dangerous in the smile on his face and the touch of sarcasm in his voice. She took a step away from him and found her bare back against the paneled wall.
    “Since you obviously didn’t care to dance with me again,” he said, “I thought I’d bring your drink here.”
    “That was very nice of you, Mr. Lincoln, but I really never drink much.”
    “I thought that might be the case with a violet like you,” he said, his mouth curling up on one side, “so I brought you some water. Just to help you cool off.”
    Her mouth did feel dry all of a sudden, so she accepted the glass. “Thank you.”
    “Perhaps I’m not such a bad fellow after all.”
    “I never said you were.”
    “Perhaps you didn’t need to say it.” He moved closer to her, bracing one hand against the wall behind her, putting his well-built frame between her and the rest of the crowd. “There’s no reason we couldn’t be good friends, is there, Madeline? If something were to happen to me, you’d be sorry you weren’t a little nicer, wouldn’t you?”
    She had no room to back away, so she lifted her chin and looked him in the eye. “I’ve been told, Mr. Lincoln, that a gentleman does not call a lady by her Christian name unless he has asked for and been granted that privilege.”
    His face was a little flushed, whether from drink or anger she did not know, but he managed still to smile. Then he braced his other hand against the wall, trapping her there between his muscular arms.
    “Perhaps if you got to know me better, Madeline, there would be a number of privileges you’d grant me.”
    “Ah! I see you’ve met Miss Parker from America.”
    Drew set down the drinks he had brought with him and grasped Lincoln’s hand, ostensibly in greeting, turning Lincoln away from her. Madeline breathed a sigh of