Hardwick felt a hand on his arm. With all the charm he could muster, he patted her freckled fingers. “What a pleasant surprise.” He wondered if Reilly could read his mind. Even in the dark he could see that she was studying him.

“I don’t like to leave Lady Exner alone out here,” she told him. “Veronica, I really wish—”

“She’ll be fine.” Hardwick tried to sound reassuring. “In fact, I think we should keep walking. We’ll go to the bow and then turn around. We’ll stay on this side of the deck.”

Veronica’s arm was now firmly planted in his. “Such a strong man,” she flirted.

“You’re flattering me, Lady Exner,” he said in what he hoped was a bantering tone.

“But it’s true. Dear Gilbert was a rather frail person. A giant intellect but a distressingly troubled body. Run along, Regan,” she ordered imperiously. “I’m well protected by dear Mr. Hardwick.”

Regan reasoned to herself, he doesn’t seem to mind. I’ll only be gone for five minutes and he’s certainly capable of hanging on to her for that long. And if I don’t get her a jacket, she’ll end up on a respirator in Sickbay. “As long as it’s no trouble ...” she said and ducked back into the lounge.

“Such a dear girl and such a worrier,” Veronica told him as they began to move toward the bow. “And such an interesting table we have. Dear Mr. Gavin has offered to escort me to the Sit-and-Be-Fit session tomorrow morning. Dear Mr. Cohoon is going to give me some ideas for sprucing up Llewellyn Hall. He offered to stop by on his next London trip, which will be in September. I intend to ask dear Mr. Kenneth’s advice about my hairdo. I’ve been wearing it like this for four years and maybe it’s time for a change. I’m afraid the couple may become a bit tiresome with their anecdotes about their grandchildren, but probably on the return crossing I’ll be a fountain of anecdotes about my nieces. I long to see them and make them part of the family. Philip, my nephew, is a sweet impractical darling, but a woman rather wants a daughter, don’t you think? And while Philip’s fiancee is a wonder—so efficient, so thoughtful—I have the feeling that I get on her nerves. But then, blood is thicker than water, isn’t it?”