Page 42 of A Game of Scandal

“Ah, Lady Endsleigh,” Laing said, with a nod in the direction of the lady herself, magnificently clad in a puce gown with matching turban. “An old family friend. I was at school with her son.”

The answer clearly pleased Mother, though I was certain she’d have already asked someone about Laing before making her way over to us. When it came to prospective husbands, she was nothing if not thorough. I could see her taking note of his beautifully tailored suit, his perfectly polished shoes, his relaxed posture. Everything about him screamed that he belonged here.

And yet I knew from Izzy that Edward Laing was simply an alias, a man with no history at all. How was it possible that Laing had school friends? Was it, as Izzy had suggested, that he had bribed or blackmailed people to lie for him? Too much was happening and all under the guise of horribly polite conversation. My head was reeling.

“Oh, yes, Lady Endsleigh’s son is a charming boy,” Mother said, then gave a small laugh, “although I’m showing my age by calling him so. He must be five and twenty by now.”

“But how could anyone accuse you of showing your age, Lady Vane, when one could take you and Lady Felicity for sisters?”

Laing was laying the compliments on thick now, though Mother continued to beam at him. Once again he glanced at me, and there was a look in his eyes, a look that said we were sharing a joke, that we were in on something together, and I didn’t know how that had happened. I didn’t want to share looks with him, or private jokes. I stood abruptly.

“I feel unwell,” I said, the words coming out too loud.

Mother looked startled, as well she might. It was hardly a graceful moment.

“I think we’d better return home,” I continued in a softer voice. I kept my eyes on my mother, careful to avoid looking at Laing.

“Well, of course,” Mother said, instantly at my side, holding my arm. “My daughter is somewhat delicate,” she said to Laing in apology.

“I’ll have someone call your carriage round at once. I do hope you feel better soon, Lady Felicity,” Laing said, all sympathy. He took my free hand in his, bowing elegantly over it, and brushing his lips against my knuckles. His fingers squeezed mine, the pressure a touch too hard.

I felt nothing but a chill sense of dread at the contact.

As we took leave of our hostess and made our way through the crowds, I knew without looking that his eyes were following me, cool and possessive.

This, I thought, was a serious complication.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The flowers arrived that afternoon.

I was trying to snatch a moment of peace, to regain some equilibrium by retreating to my study, an unfinished and long-neglected letter to Dr Volterra in front of me, when the door swung open.

“Felicity, you have an admirer!” Mother trilled, excitement bubbling over as she whirled in. “And I’d wager I know who it is.”

With a great deal of jostling, and despite my grumbled protests, she tugged me downstairs. The perfume from the enormous bouquet of honeysuckle and lilies was overpowering, filling the entrance hall of the house with its sweet, clinging scent.

My heart sank as I opened the envelope nestled in the bouquet and read the note inside.

I very much look forward to resuming our conversation.

Yours in admiration,

E.L.

“Mr Laing!” Mother said, peeking at the note over my shoulder. “You seem to have made quite the impression on the man. And I must say his manners were excellent, and he had a fair countenance, didn’t he? Not the most handsome man there, but there was something so charming about him that made up for it. Don’t you think, Felicity?”

“I’m not sure,” I hedged. “I didn’t really talk to him for long. I don’t know what has inspired this.”

“Bah!” Mother exclaimed. “You have inspired it, my girl! You’re going to be the hit of the season and Mr Laing is sensible enough to want to steal a march on the competition. I must write to Lady Endsleigh and find out all about him! So far, it seems he’s a good match. No title, of course, which is a shame, but from what I’ve heard, he’s a well-liked gentleman with impeccable manners, a tidy fortune and a bright future. He is considered quite the catch, but he’s never shown an interest in anyone before, so the other mamas had set him down as a confirmed bachelor. And I hear he’s extremely clever, Felicity…”

The scent from the flowers was overwhelming and giving me a headache, only intensified by Mother’s unceasing enthusiasm. I had no idea what to say to my mother – actually, Edward Laing is currently being investigated for murder by the secret agency your daughter-in-law works for and when he looks at me sometimes I feel like a fly caught in a spider’s web, didn’t really seem appropriate.

I hated that he had sent something to my home; it felt like an intrusion. Later, in my room, I watched the street below out of my window, feeling a strange certainty that someone was outside hidden in the darkness, looking straight back. A man loitered near one of the streetlamps on the square, smoking a cigarette. Had he been there earlier? Now that I thought about it, I was sure I’d seen someone standing in the same place yesterday, not that I’d thought anything of it at the time.

I tried to put it aside as I got ready for tonight’s activity – a visit to the theatre. As Nancy laced me into a gown of pale lilac silk, I wondered if I should try and get a message to Izzy, but what had really happened? A man had sent me flowers. It was hardly an emergency.

No. There was no need to make a fuss. I wasn’t some nervous creature.