Something Dangerous (Spoils of Time 02) (103 page)

‘Oh – goodness. I’ll have to ask Father.’

‘Righty-o. It’s perfectly all right, though, you can tell him. Chap used to go to Eton. Humphrey Lyttleton’s his name.’

‘Yes. Yes, I will. Thank you, Henry.’

‘Can I get you a drink?’

‘Oh – yes. Thank you. He’s awfully good-looking, isn’t he?’ she said to Barty, looking at Henry’s dark head as he moved through the crowd.

‘Awfully. Just like his father.’

‘Well, in a way, I suppose, but his father’s really old. Oh – sorry, Barty.’

Barty smiled at her. ‘It’s perfectly all right.’

‘Hallo, Adele, my darling. You’ve been working very hard.’

‘I know. Well, it is my job.’

‘Nice party.’

‘Very. Are you enjoying it?’

‘Oh – quite. I’ve had a bellyful of these things. To be honest, I only ever liked my own.’

‘Sebastian! You’re such an egotist.’

‘I know. I’ve spent a lifetime developing my skill in that direction. Tell me, what do you think of our star author? He seems very keen on you.’

‘I think he’s very nice,’ said Adele primly.

‘Good. So do I.’

There was a pause; then he said, ‘Adele—’

‘Yes?’

‘We’ve never talked about—’

‘Kit? No. And I don’t think we should. As Grandmama would say, it’s grown-up business.’

He smiled. ‘Wise old bird, your grandmama.’

‘Very. She’s done a lot for Kit.’

He looked at her very steadily. ‘How is he?’

‘Mending. Mending well. Working hard, too.’

‘Good.’

‘He—’

‘Yes?’

‘He said if I saw you, to say hallo.’

‘Adele,’ said Sebastian, giving her a kiss, ‘that’s the nicest thing I’ve heard all evening.’

‘Hallo, again.’

‘Oh – hallo.’

‘Look – I wonder if you’d like to have lunch with me tomorrow? I don’t often meet
Life
photographers.’

‘Oh,’ said Adele, ‘well, it’s very kind, but I have to take two models down to my grandmother’s farm and photograph them with some rarebreed sheep she’s just bought. It must sound very boring to you. Sorry.’

‘Boring! Not at all. It sounds wonderful. Wonderful and eccentric. And I’d love to meet your legendary grandmother. My grandfather had a farm in Kentucky, bred racehorses.’

‘In that case,’ said Adele, ‘my grandmother would love to meet you.’

‘I couldn’t come down with you, could I? If I promise not to get in the way of your camera. How far from London is this paradise?’

‘Oh – a couple of hours. Yes, of course you can come. If you’ve got time.’

‘I’ll make time,’ said Geordie MacColl.

‘Well,’ said Celia, ‘what a good party.’

‘Good speech, Celia,’ Sebastian smiled at her.

‘Thank you.’

‘Barty looks lovely.’

‘Yes, she does,’ said Celia slightly coolly.

‘Don’t begrudge it to her, Celia. You of all people.’

‘I – don’t,’ she said, ‘not really.’

‘Good.’

He looked at Barty intently. ‘She must be terribly rich.’

‘No, actually, not so terribly, it seems. He left her only the shares in Lyttons and a few more, a little portfolio as she put it. And his houses. Obviously worth a lot.’

‘Yes, especially the one on Park Avenue, it’s a mansion I’m told.’

‘Oh, the Americans would call any little house a mansion,’ said Celia, ‘they’re so easily impressed.’

‘Celia, have you ever been to the Frick museum?’

‘Yes, of course.’

‘Well, Elliott House is a little bigger than that, I’m told. And very similar.’

‘Oh. Well yes, that is quite – impressive.’ Even she was silent. Then she rallied. ‘Anyway, the rest of the money is left in trust. For his children. All those millions.’

‘Did he know about Jenna?’

‘No. But apparently there is a strong case to be made for her getting a share. As her father was married to Barty.’

‘My God,’ said Sebastian, ‘clearly this story is very far from over.’

ALSO BY THE SAME AUTHOR

No Angel
Into Temptation
The Dilemma
Almost A Crime
An Outrageous Affair
Sheer Abandon
An Absolute Scandal
Forbidden Places