In the days after learning about the competition, a plan formed in Beatrice’s mind. She had already found many remarkable and spectacular things on her travels, but displaying those wasn’t enough. She knew what she had to do. The only snag was that she would require James’s help to do it.

She took special care to make sure everything was ready for his arrival. She recalled that James had a particular fondness for walnut cake and gave orders for the cook to prepare one, alongside a full tea tray. She waited impatiently all morning and, to her relief, he arrived promptly at the hour they’d agreed. A footman showed him into the study and, to Beatrice’s surprise, he was accompanied by his driver, who carried a large wrapped parcel, the size and shape of a painting. After setting it down against the wall, the servant took his leave.

‘Good afternoon, Lady Beatrice,’ James said, offering her a bow.

‘G-Good afternoon.’ She indicated the parcel. ‘What is th-that?’

‘We spoke of the Winter Garden once before,’ he said. ‘Do you recall? It has been quite fascinating to me ever since I first heard of it. And, in my own small way, I’m a collector of those items that occasionally appear in auction houses. Much like that dazzling tiger over there.’

Beatrice glanced over at the diamond tiger she had purchased in Singapore.

‘You th-think the t-tiger has something t-to do with the g-garden?’ she asked.

‘Perhaps we might be frank with one another,’ James said. ‘I know about the Tiger of Stars. I know the Winter Garden exists and that you have been there.’

Beatrice did not deny it this time; in fact she was pleased to hear him bring it up in this way. It would make it easier to raise the subject of the competition with him.

‘Last week I stumbled across something at Mr Stevens’s Auction Rooms,’ James went on. ‘I’d like to share it with you, if I may?’

He went to the parcel his driver had brought in, tore off the brown paper and turned it round to face her. Beatrice stared at it for long silent moments. It was an extraordinarily beautiful painting, depicting a girl and a tiger facing each other, their gazes locked across the snow. The tiger’s body was made up entirely of stars. The silver-and-white paint used to create his galactic stripes seemed to shine right out of the canvas. The tiger was more than mere paint somehow – he was a reminder of the spectacular wonder of the universe, and all the mysteries of life, and the deep magic to be found in love and sorrow.