James was regarding her in a way that suggested he was also taking in her appearance. From his smile, she assumed he did not disapprove of her lack of modern fashion in quite the way his sister did. “It’s my pleasure to meet you, Miss Hopkins.”
“And mine to meet you. You can call me Evelyn—Lilian already does.”
“Thank you. Then I’m James. Although I’m not sure we should be basing our interactions on Lilian’s rather loose grip of social etiquette.” James rolled his eyes and Evelyn smiled. She had half supposed James would be awkward; his appearance suggested it. But, instead, he seemed at ease, more formal than Lilian but just as comfortable. “Before we all get carried away with the joys—and spirits—of the evening, I wanted to thank you. For bringing Frank’s letter. I know it was for Lilian, not for me, but he did mention me by name, and it was good to hear some of his final thoughts. He was my big brother, you see, and I’d always rather looked up to him when we were children. Then he was gone.” James did not speak with emotion in his voice, simply a matter-of-fact acceptance of the tragedy. Evelyn guessed there was more beneath the surface, but good manners and bravado would not allow him to express it.
“You’re very welcome. I’m glad I had the chance to bring it to you. I suppose Lilian told you why it was so delayed.”
“She mentioned your brother and how he was shell-shocked.”
Evelyn would have liked a little less bravado and a little more compassion in James’s tone. She guessed this was just his way of dealing with awkward situations. “Yes. He is. Well, that’s what they call it, anyway. He’s not ever been the same since he came back. I don’t really know why he suddenly found himself able to communicate now.” It was a lie, of course. Edward had been triggered by Evelyn’s intentions with Michael. Michael. The image of him flooded into Evelyn’s mind, but it seemed so incongruous in this well-to-do if slightly shabby London sitting room. She could not imagine Michael standing in this room. She could not imagine introducing him to James, as her fiancé or as any kind of acquaintance. It had been such a short time since she had seen him, he still did not know just how badly she had treated him, and yet he seemed distant, a phantom of a remote past.
“Are you quite all right?” James was looking expectantly at her.
“Oh yes, I’m sorry. I was just thinking about home, and my brother, you know.”
“Devon, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Evelyn managed to smile at James’s interest. “Apparently I have quite an accent.”
“Well, maybe you do, but Lilian told me.”
“West Coombe. I think your family knows it.”
“Oh yes! Well, I never. I’ve spent some excellent days sailing there.”
“A lot of people do.” Evelyn found it harder to smile now, at this further reminder that James and Lilian were very different from her and her family. Even when they’d been in the same town, they’d been divided, moved in different circles.
“Beautiful place.”
“Yes, it is. But I wanted to say thank you for letting me stay with you.”
“Oh, it’s no bother at all. Lilian’s always asking all kinds of waifs and strays to stay here. Not that I consider you a waif. Or a stray.” He added the last hurriedly, blushing slightly.
“I suppose I am. I don’t have anywhere else in London.”
“You don’t? Gosh, then we really are lucky that you took a risk to bring us the letter. Didn’t you have anyone you could bring to London with you?”
“Well, not really, you see Edward couldn’t travel himself, and my sister was recently married. So—”
The door burst open and Lilian appeared. Her face was now powdered and rouged and there was black kohl around her eyes. In the dull yellow electric light of the sitting room, she looked rather like a clown. Evelyn supposed it would be more effective when they were in different lighting and Lilian was onstage. She had a cloak of red velvet draped over her shoulders, her face now framed by a trim of fox fur, almost the same colour as her own hair. That red hair was now encircled by a band of the same colour as her dress, which held a decorative concoction of feathers and jewels at the right side of her head. In her hands was a dark green fabric, trimmed with cream fur, which she thrust towards Evelyn. “Top hole, you’re becoming friends, excellent. Evie, here’s the cloak I promised you.” Evelyn took the heavy velvet garment and made her best effort to swing it elegantly around her shoulders. “And what a pretty little brooch you have! Now we need to go or I shall be late for my first song. And you know how tiresome Vernon gets when I’m late.” She rolled her eyes but she was smiling coyly at the same time, a detail which intrigued Evelyn.
“Vernon is always tiresome, Lilian. I really think we should find somewhere new to pass the dark evenings.”
“Vernon lets me sing, even pays me to sing. Not every club would let me do that. Besides, it’s where all of our friends are.”
“They’re your friends really, my dear.”
“Only because you don’t have any.” Lilian’s retort was gentle and followed by a little blown kiss. “Are we all ready now?”
“Let me help, Evelyn.” James helped Evelyn finally settle the cloak about
