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“Oh, you’ll have him fizzin’ for sure,” she ansith a sudden cackle “He’ll not be best pleased”

“No,” I agree But he’ll do it, or I’ll give hiht up his skinny arse

Chrissy wanders off to rally the troops, and I return to the fray and a rooh I hadn’t noticed her, seeking McCain, who appears in front of me like a wraith come to life

“Your grace?” Either he had his ear pressed to the door to the service corridor, or he’s bloody psychic

“I’d like you to lay another space at the dinner table,” Ifor his response “Once you’ve done that, dinner may be served”

“I’ll pass on the glad tidings to Dougal,” he says with a deferential tilt of his head, which is contradicted by his heavily pointed words And here I was just thinking the ht deserve a pay rise But he’s not quite fizzin’, though I didn’t expect him to be effervescent in my presence

I make my way to Isla, who takes my arm with a serene smile

“You and I,” she says, her expression unchanging as she leaves the group of guests she was attending, “are going to have a very interesting conversation tomorrow”

“I look forward to it” The way I see it, we’ll be having several very interesting conversations, beginning with her news

“Sandy, your superior looks don’t work onsister”

“Fifteens to look at no one but her Because if I allowfor one person One person who had better toe the line tonight

“Says you,” she answers serenely as McCain announces dinner

Folding Isla’s hand into the crook of uest of honour—the director of the e my sister’s aruests fall into line behind us as Isla, as hostess, leads us into dinner

Resisting the urge to seek out Holland, I pull back my companion’s chair, then make my way to the head of the table as McCain takes the opportunity to discreetly reuest of honour who is as unpopular with the butler as I ah his crime was to make it known he wished to be seated next to me rather than the hostess, as is the custom As I reach the opposite end of the table, the portlyat me We wait for Isla, as hostess, to take her seat before doing the same It’s in this minuscule interlude that uest But then, it soars as a vision in a pale blush pink glides along the length of the table Her dress subtly gliht, as do her collarbones, bared by the cut of the dress Though obviously a dress, the outfit looks to be two separate pieces, the top swaying hypnotically in time with the hem as she walks