That Grenville had befriended me made polite society talk. Usually their rudeness annoyed me, but tonight I could not help wondering whether a gentleman here had given the young woman on the riverbank the ring, or had murdered her.

When I reached Grenville, his face lit with genuine pleasure. He gripped my hand. "Lacey, there you are. I feared you would not come. The weather is foul."

I made a slight bow. "Not at all. I was honored by the invitation."

It was what I was expected to say, what those around us wanted to hear.

Grenville, however, knew better than to take my words at face value. He leaned toward me, said in a low voice, "I need to speak to you, my friend. You can rest up in my sitting room if you prefer it to the crush. I'll join you when I can."

I grew curious, but I knew he’d explain no further in the press of guests. I nodded, and withdrew, relinquishing his attention to the next guest.

As I turned away, I spied Bartholomew and his brother Matthias, both clad in livery, dashing up and down the stairs with glasses of champagne. I motioned Bartholomew to me.

"Evening, sir," he said, as I lifted a glass from his tray. He cast a critical eye over my regimentals, which he'd studiously brushed this morning. His look turned disapproving, so I was certain I’d allowed a speck of mud to land somewhere on my journey to the house. But he said nothing and hurried away again.

I took the champagne and climbed the next flight of stairs to a quieter landing and Grenville's private rooms. I was grateful to his invitation to rest away from the crowds, because after seeing the poor girl on the bank of the Thames, I was in no mood for polite conversation and false smiles. I had a few true friends among the ton; one of them was Lady Aline Carrington, a spinster of loud opinions and independent thought, but I could not expect her to give all her attention to me. The Brandons had also been invited, but they were not attending, Louisa had informed me in a letter, because Colonel Brandon did not much approve of Grenville.