“For one night, maybe. Isn’t that how film stars behave? He was kissing me yesterday.”

“But when he experiences the incredible sex I have to offer, isn’t it possible that he might want an aristocratic English wife?”

“But you don’t even know him. He may be horrible under the façade. He may have tantrums and act like a spoiled little boy.”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. He’d have enough money to keep me happy.”

I sat on my bed and looked up at her. She already looked older than me. “Is that what you really want, Belinda? Just lots of money, no matter how you get it?”

“Money and sex, darling. That’s about it.”

“What about love?”

She looked out of the window. “I don’t think I’m destined for love,” she said. Then she peered harder. “What do you think that Stella Brightwell is doing among the trees? Feeding the animals?”

I went over to join her. It was hard to see through the fog in the fading light, but it really did look like Stella Brightwell, with something dark draped around her shoulders, moving quickly through the trees. I wondered if she’d arranged to meet Juan, perhaps. Or if she was running away in a huff after that tiff in the corridor. In which case Mr. Goldman was not pursuing her.

Chapter 18

AT MR. GOLDMAN’S CASTLE

THE EVENING OF AUGUST 3

I am still rather annoyed with Belinda although in a way I’m glad she’s here. She is so good at crashing other people’s parties. Actually I suppose I’m jealous. I wish I had her nerve.

By the time we had waited for Mummy to change her clothes and adjust her hair and makeup and had walked back to the main house, we were among the last to assemble in a long gallery that looked as if it had been lifted from Versailles. One wall was lined with mirrors. The furniture was brocade and gilt. There was a great marble fireplace in the middle of one wall. In the far corner Charlie Chaplin, Craig and Darcy stood at an impressive cocktail cabinet shaped like a Spanish galleon. Algie was hovering near them, hoping to be included in their conversation. Stella Brightwell was standing alone staring out of the window. She was toying with a strand of hair in a nervous manner. Barbara Kindell was sitting pretending to read a magazine but actually taking in the scene. There was no sign of Juan or Ronnie or the Goldmans.

Belinda made a beeline for the men at the cocktail cabinet. Mummy went over to Stella. I followed and saw what Stella was looking at. Juan was outside alone, walking up and down, puffing on a cigarette, glancing from time to time up at the castle.