The Duce’s noble head bobbed low on his breast, then he raised it again, tears welling in his rheumy eyes. «I bought the silence of my companion and we spent the whole afternoon together. There were secret letters, stolen moments. And then I hit upon the drawing-class scheme. We planned to elope. Elope! Like star-crossed lovers!»
«That night, the night of Miracle’s ball, she was meant to steal away and meet me in the gardens. But she did not come! And then I heard about the body — oh! A second time she was taken from me!»
He groaned like a wounded beast. «And so I came here. Home. To Naples. In secret, of course, and seeking — who knows what? Peace?»
I pulled myself up on the pillows. «And what of that day in the Mechanical Institute, Mrs Knight? I gather you had already suspected you were under observation?»
The veiled woman placed her hands in her lap and sighed. «That I had. But I thought they were sent by my husband, and that our scheme was impenetrable. I little thought what they might have in mind until that day.» Miss Frenzy and I had just switched places when two men burst into the lavatory. At once they grabbed poor Miss Frenzy but she fought valiantly, biting one of them upon the hand.
«Of course I could not simply hide in the cubicle and leave Abigail to her fate but their faces were a pretty sight when they were suddenly confronted by two identically dressed women! As time was obviously of the essence, they bundled us both from the place and took us to some low lodging house where the truth was forced from us. One of them, a man called Bowler, decided that fate had put in his way a serendipitous event. They had come to abduct me, how much better if I were thought to be dead!»
She tailed off and gave a little sob. «From that moment poor Abigail’s fate was sealed. I was quite unable to protest as they gave me the first of those hideous injections and I was scarcely sensible from that day on.»
Tiepolo laid his big hand over hers. «It is over now,» he said in a reassuring tone.
I sank back. «And what will you do now, my dear? If you’ll take the advice of an impecunious artist…»
«Thank you, Mr Box, but I do not need it! I am resolved to change my life while there’s still time.»
The Duce Tiepolo grunted his approval.
Miracle frowned. «And what of your husband?»
«I’m afraid he shall have to get used to it,» trilled Mrs Knight, almost girlishly. «For the Duce and I are… well… eloping tonight.»
I wished them both well, confident that, in the fullness of time, I might receive massive financial reward for services rendered.
Miracle ushered them out then returned to my side.
«Well?» he demanded. «Have you heard from her?»
«Heard from whom?» I said, all innocence.
«Why from Miss Bella Pok, of course! You have been in here fully two weeks! Has she not been to visit you?»
I shrugged lightly. «I have received a note or two enquiring after my health.»
Miracle leaned forward in his chair. «And when do you see her?»
I laughed sharply, making my injured shoulder twinge, unable to keep up the pretence a moment more. «Tomorrow morning! But now I am most awfully tired, Chris. You must let me get my strength up for the great occasion!»
He left me, promising dinner at Maxim’s, showers of gold and all the tea in China once I was fully recovered.
A happy peace had settled over my routine. Charlie had turned himself into an excellent nurse and his bedside manner was more than admirable.
That night I slept heavily, my head seeming to pound in time to the eruption of Vesuvius as I found myself back there, the sky behind me a strange, lurid red. But suddenly I knew it was not the sky at all but the canopy of my own eyelids. I blinked once. Twice. And the pounding roar of the volcano resolved itself into an urgent knocking at the door of my hotel room.
I glanced down at the bed. Naked, Charlie lay sound asleep at my side, his bruised body lightly covered by the cool cotton sheets. Suddenly I remembered.
«Bella!» I cried.
I jumped to my feet, immediately regretted it and flopped back on the bed. I looked wildly about.
«Up!» I hissed, slapping Charlie on the side. «Up!»
He half opened his very blue eyes. «What?»
«Get yourself up, Charlie boy. We have company.»
He groaned and shook his head. «Tell them to sling theirs.
I leant down and pinched him savagely on the nipple. «Get yourself up, Mr Jackpot or you’ll be sorry.»
Yelping in pain, the boy sat up and flapped his hands at mine. «All right, all right, you swine!»
Still befuddled by sleep, he looked dumbly at his nakedness and began to get dressed.
«Quickly!» I hissed. «It is Miss Pok.»
He struggled swiftly into his trousers and threw on his shirt.
«Now, after you’ve shown the lady in, you must make yourself scarce.»
«You ashamed of me?»
I sighed. «You’re my servant, Jackpot. It’s time you started behaving like one instead of bleating away like the Little Match Girl.»
«Lucifer?» came Bella’s muffled voice from beyond the door.
«All right,» said Charlie, sloping sullenly off towards the door. He dragged it open and ushered Bella inside with ill-concealed contempt.
«Miss Bella Pok,» he muttered.
«Thank you, Charles,» I said between gritted teeth. «You may take the rest of the day off.»
«Oh!» he cried, clasping his hands to his bosom. «May I, sir? Oh, how kind of you, sir.»
«That will be all, Charles,» I said firmly. He went out and slammed the door.
«Bella! How wonderful to see you! Pray accept my apologies for him. It is so devilishly hard to find good servants these days that one accepts even the most rough-edged and bothersome.»
«I thought he was rather sweet,» she said sunnily.
I was slightly breathless and my head ached. «Well, well, no doubt that is your pleasant disposition. I fear I do not appear at my best…»
She took in my tousled appearance and sleep-shocked hair and waved away my apologies with a yellow- gloved hand. I took it and kissed it fervently.
«You are safe! That is all that matters!»
«You got my note, then? It was a foolish thing I did. To risk my life when I had so much to look forward to.»
Smiling indulgently, she lifted the white veil from her face. I felt my pulse quicken at this renewed view of her beauty. «You are very bold, Lucifer,» she said quietly.
«I have offended you!» I groaned. «It is only that I had hoped so much that when I got back to England we might…»
She sat next to the bed and took my hand in hers. «Rest assured, dear Lucifer, that I have not forgotten you.»
I smiled happily.
«Now,» she said, settling herself. «How on earth did you come by these dreadful injuries? I want to hear all about your adventures!»
«Oh?» I said wearily. «Really?»
Impressions of the extraordinary events of the past weeks began to crowd my brain, all of them tinged in a volcanic glow. I thought of coming up with an entirely neutral version of events, concerned with sketching trips and abandoned canvases and amusingly dreadful restaurant fare but Bella deserved better than that. She knew I had some dark secret.
«Lucifer?»
I opened my eyes. «Was I drifting?»
