Sasha hurried her away with a discreet, ‘No, thank you, Katy, that will do. Thank you, my dear. We’ll wait on ourselves. You can go now.’
Four delicate cups and saucers of Worcester porcelain, a silver pot, cream and sugar and French madeleines had appeared, Lily noted, pleased that Fanshawe had got it wrong. Though not all his speculations missed their target. Sipping the fragrant coffee and puffing away at Virginia cigarettes, the ladies allowed their affected sadness to give way with surprising speed to gossip and merriment. The hemlines and dancing partners Fanshawe had scathingly conjured up were now, indeed, being trailed before her. Lily was made to tell whether Prince Edward was as good a dancer as was reported. (‘As good as my dancing master.’ Lily had decided the man had earned a good report.) Was he fun? (‘He made me laugh a lot.’) Where had Lily come by that wonderful dress? (‘Ssh! A secret! Though perhaps I’ll leave the address with the princess before I leave.’) And who exactly was the fair-haired Adonis to her right… sitting at the royal table…clean shaven, cleft chin, was he really squiring Connie Beauclerk?’ (‘Rupert Fanshawe? The most dangerous man in England! You would not want to know him.’)
Lily was feeling easy enough in their company to tell them a scandalous story about Rupert Fanshawe that elicited gasps and giggles. A story entirely of her own invention. She hoped it would find its way straight back to the Branch man’s ears.
The princess enjoyed the chatter for a while then dismissed the two young women. ‘Now, my chickens! You must both go up and change — we’re expected at the embassy for lunch, remember. Take your things away with you, will you? I would like a quiet and serious word with Miss Wentworth and I can see I’m not to have the opportunity as long as you pester her for gossip.’
They scuttled off, leaving Lily facing a suddenly shrewd inquisitor.
‘Now you can tell me the truth,’ the princess said bluntly. ‘How did Gustavus die?’
‘Cyanide poisoning. Almost indistinguishable from heart-’
‘This is understood. And that must be the last mention of the appalling substance. The man died from a congenital heart condition. And largely unmourned. I shall attend the funeral, of course. Thank goodness veils are still in style — I shall find it impossible to squeeze out a tear. As will his wife, the silly girl.’
She took a trinket box from a table, opened it and produced a diamond brooch. ‘The fool tried to give this away. To make the correct impression, no doubt. I knew it was Zinia’s much-loved jewel that she had from her mother. It would not have been offered for charity with her consent. I arranged for a friend to make a discreet bid and I acquired it. Zinia shall have it back. And the support to start a new life. In Paris perhaps. I think Paris will be good for her. Whether Zinia will be good for Paris is less certain. And now you may tell me why you have come to see me.’
Lily responded with equal succinctness. Her request for the original guest list was received with no more than the slightest lift of an eyebrow and the princess moved at once to an escritoire. She took a sheet or two of foolscap paper from a drawer, looked over them briefly and brought them to Lily.