Belinda frowned. “Oh, yes. Anton deserted me to rush to the side of his papa. And they all seemed to be heading for the sickroom of that awful man Pirin.”

“Pirin’s now on his way to hospital, thank goodness,” I said, feeling strange about lying to my best friend.

“So why aren’t you at the dress fitting?”

“I went first. And I have such a perfect lack of figure that not much alteration was involved.”

“Good, then you and I can do something fun together. What shall it be?” She got up and slipped her arm through mine. “Not that this is the sort of place that I consider to be fun. No casino, no shops. Thank God for sex, or I’d be bored to tears.”

“Belinda! You really shouldn’t say things like that where they can be overheard.”

She laughed. “There’s nobody in the room but the two of us. Besides, it’s the truth.”

“You were the one who wanted to come here,” I reminded her.

“Well, it did seem like a good lark at the time,” she said. “And I have to admit that Anton is rather scrumptious. But now his parents are here, I’m afraid he’ll have to behave like a good little boy. So what shall it be? Do you want to go and look for your vampires? We could find where their coffins are stored.”

“Stop teasing. I know what I saw, why won’t anyone else believe me?”

“But darling, of course I believe you, and I’m dying to meet a vampire.” She attempted to drag me from the room.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t come anywhere with you at the moment,” I said. “I have to meet—” I stopped hastily. Of course I couldn’t tell her that I had to meet the princes or she’d want to come along. “Lady Middlesex,” I finished. “I have to meet Lady Middlesex and Miss Deer-Harte.” I tried desperately to think of a reason for this meeting that would sound unappealing to Belinda. “She’s writing a history of Sandringham House and she wants my insights.”

Belinda wrinkled her nose. “I think I’ll go and take a long bath so I can try out my new Parisian bath beads. The bathrooms seem to be unoccupied at this time of day. Toodle-pip.”