“Of course I wasn’t. But when has that ever deterred me from anything? I overheard some people talking about it in Galeries Lafayette this afternoon. All that lovely free food and drink, darling. One could hardly pass it up, could one? But I’m awfully relieved to see you here, yourself. Last time I saw you, you were being dragged off by a horrid little policeman with a ridiculous mustache. What on earth did he want with you? Was it about the missing necklace?”

“Worse than that. He thinks I killed our neighbor, Sir Toby.”

“I heard a rumor that someone had been murdered. So that’s who it was. Toby Groper, eh? Horrid man. Pinched my bottom once. But what in God’s name would make that inspector think that you did it? It’s too ridiculous for words.”

“I know. It is, but he’s not very bright and extremely pompous and it’s a case of ‘I’m guilty until proven innocent’ to him. I’d still be in a jail cell if it weren’t for Jean-Paul, who bailed me out and found me a lawyer.”

“How awful. You poor darling. But don’t worry. I’m sure your heavenly marquis knows how to bribe the right people and they’ll sort it out soon. If not, you can simply start waving the royal standard and they’ll have to back down.”

“I hope so,” I said. I looked around. “Did you bring Neville?”

“Still parking the car, I believe. And yes, I am with him, unless and until something better turns up.”

“So he’s not quite as wonderful as you thought he was?”

“I never said ‘wonderful,’” Belinda muttered, looking around to see if he was approaching. “And frankly I think I overestimated his prowess in—that area. It is so off-putting if one is asked if one ‘fancies a spot of the old rumpy-pumpy,’ and even worse when he has his teddy bear sitting on the bed beside us.”

“Belinda!” I exclaimed, not knowing whether to laugh or be shocked.

“It’s too much boarding school,” Belinda said. “It makes them all strange. I’m on the lookout for a nice Continental type with oodles of money, like your marquis. He’s still in pursuit, is he?”

“He appears to be.”

“Great catch, darling. I’m mad with jealousy.” She leaned closer. “So do tell, how far have you got with him? Is it positively blissful?”

“Not very far yet,” I said. “I might have had more to tell if I hadn’t been hauled off to a police station last night.”

“Is he here? Perhaps you can carry on a little later from where you left off.”

“I hope so,” I said. “I haven’t seen him yet, but I’m sure Mummy invited him. She fancies him herself.”