“Zaira,” I interrupted, almost spilling my drink, “I hardly think it’s appropriate for you to be ogling a viscount.”

“I was going to say ‘stride.’” She smirked. “Besides, why not? You were.”

“I was not!”

“Truly.” She sighed dramatically. “What would the poor lieutenant say?”

My entire face burned as if I’d leaned too close to a blazing hearth. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Hmmmmm?” Zaira lifted both eyebrows.

“That is, Lieutenant Verdi hasn’t—I don’t know if he—” I swallowed the words stumbling out of my mouth and drew myself up with great dignity. “At any rate, Domenic and I are old friends, and I don’t feel that way about him anymore, and … and … it can’t hurt to look.”

“Ha!” Zaira’s grin declared victory. “Well, there’s plenty to look at here. Have you seen the girl in the yellow dress?” She gestured eloquently at her own chest. “Prettier peaches than in the city market, and as much on display. I should go to fancy parties more often.”

“Graces preserve us, Zaira, that’s the doge’s niece,” I groaned.

“Someone in the family had to be pretty, I suppose,” Zaira cackled.

Ignazio appeared then, like the Grace of Mercy, offering Zaira a little dish of cheese and olives. “I see you were talking to the young viscount,” he observed. “Have you met any of the other Ardentines?”

“No.” Zaira popped an olive in her mouth with relish. “If they’re all built like that, though, I’m eager for introductions.”

“I couldn’t speak to that,” he said with unruffled calm. “But I’ll bet you a ducat you’ll never guess which one has half a dozen mistresses.”

“I don’t have a ducat, but I accept your challenge!” Zaira slid her arm through his.

He whisked her away to her next group of admirers, acknowledging my grateful look with a wink. Her laugh at some comment of his floated behind them as they vanished into the crowd. Thank the Graces they got along, at least.

I scanned the partygoers for more people I knew. My mother stood in a corner with Baron Leodra. By the satisfaction in her smile and the look of hopeless, crushing realization descending across his face, she was breaking the news to him that she knew about his secret bastard and explaining how things would be if he preferred the rest of Raverran society did not share this revelation. I also spotted a poet whose company I generally enjoyed, but she already had a crowd around her, laughing at her latest witticism.

As for crowds … I had stayed still for too long. A swarm of unmarried dandies descended on me, their eyes gleaming with avarice for the Cornaro fortune.