now!’
‘Careless!’ Lady Beresford shrieked, at last releasing Annabel, tears streaming down her face. ‘I was heartbroken! Can you imagine, sir, what it is to lose a child?’
‘As you are attempting to take Annabel from us right now, I can imagine it all too easily,’ Colonel Black said heatedly.
It was horrible to hear herself argued over in this way, and it was made even more horrible by the fact that Annabel could see both points of view. Mr and Mrs Black were to all intents and purposes her parents, she loved them and she was quite certain of their love for her, but undeniably, given her resemblance to Justine, Lady Beresford was the mother who had given birth to her and loved her for her first two years and she didn’t know to whom she owed her loyalty. For the moment the Blacks and the Beresfords were ignoring her as they glared at each other. Suddenly Annabel could bear it no longer and she bolted from the room.
‘Stop her!’ she heard Lord Beresford cry out from behind her as if she were a scullery maid making off with the best silver, ‘Out of my way, man!’ It seemed that someone was obstructing him, but Annabel had no time to look back and see who, she was simply grateful not to be pursued.
The ballroom had filled up even more while they had been closeted away and Annabel threaded her way through the crowd, fairly confident that she was obscured from view. But the ballroom offered no place of solitude in which she could think. Hastily she opened the first door she came to, it led onto a short corridor and she yanked open the nearest door it held, only to shut it just as hastily. The room held a party of men, all intent on their gaming except one who looked up at her and frowned at the intrusion. The next door she came to opened onto a retiring room, which was at present dimly lit and occupied. Quite sure she would be equally unwelcome there, Annabel closed the door as quietly as she could and tiptoed on. The end of the corridor opened up into a wide gallery containing a collection of paintings. Annabel relaxed at last. Although no lamps were lit, moonlight streamed in through three large windows and she felt quite sure that none of the other guests were likely to quit the dance floor or other pleasures of the ball in order to admire Lord Lockton’s art collection, she would be undisturbed.
‘ Here you are,’ a voice said from the shadows some time later. ‘It’s safe to come out now, everyone has calmed down.’ It was Mr Denham, Annabel felt her heart give a little lift and then she spied Justine. She was not exactly disappointed to see her twin, she told herself, and it was true, she was actually fascinated by Justine, the girl who shared her face and lived the life she was meant to have had, and she wasn’t sure what she hoped for from Mr Denham but she would have preferred him to have come to find her alone.
Justine did not appear to share her reservations. She came forward and took Annabel’s hands in her own. ‘Wasn’t that the most extraordinary tale you have ever heard?’ she asked, and Annabel wondered if her own eyes glowed like that when she was deeply moved. ‘Although they have agreed that it would be best for you to return with the Blacks for tonight, our poor mothers are in quite a state. But I myself couldn’t be happier, I’ve gained a sister tonight!’
‘I’m very glad to have gained a sister too,’ Annabel said, and found to her surprise it was true. Impulsively she kissed Justine on the cheek.
‘Miss Black,’ Mr Denham interrupted and smiled sardonically, ‘if you have quite finished admiring Lord Lockton’s fine collection of paintings - good Lord, one of them has been taken!’ Annabel almost laughed at the look on his face, in an instant he had changed from smooth society beau to someone much more real and genuinely shocked, but then she turned to look over her shoulder and saw an incongruously empty space on the wall, featuring only the image of
‘Careless!’ Lady Beresford shrieked, at last releasing Annabel, tears streaming down her face. ‘I was heartbroken! Can you imagine, sir, what it is to lose a child?’
‘As you are attempting to take Annabel from us right now, I can imagine it all too easily,’ Colonel Black said heatedly.
It was horrible to hear herself argued over in this way, and it was made even more horrible by the fact that Annabel could see both points of view. Mr and Mrs Black were to all intents and purposes her parents, she loved them and she was quite certain of their love for her, but undeniably, given her resemblance to Justine, Lady Beresford was the mother who had given birth to her and loved her for her first two years and she didn’t know to whom she owed her loyalty. For the moment the Blacks and the Beresfords were ignoring her as they glared at each other. Suddenly Annabel could bear it no longer and she bolted from the room.
‘Stop her!’ she heard Lord Beresford cry out from behind her as if she were a scullery maid making off with the best silver, ‘Out of my way, man!’ It seemed that someone was obstructing him, but Annabel had no time to look back and see who, she was simply grateful not to be pursued.
The ballroom had filled up even more while they had been closeted away and Annabel threaded her way through the crowd, fairly confident that she was obscured from view. But the ballroom offered no place of solitude in which she could think. Hastily she opened the first door she came to, it led onto a short corridor and she yanked open the nearest door it held, only to shut it just as hastily. The room held a party of men, all intent on their gaming except one who looked up at her and frowned at the intrusion. The next door she came to opened onto a retiring room, which was at present dimly lit and occupied. Quite sure she would be equally unwelcome there, Annabel closed the door as quietly as she could and tiptoed on. The end of the corridor opened up into a wide gallery containing a collection of paintings. Annabel relaxed at last. Although no lamps were lit, moonlight streamed in through three large windows and she felt quite sure that none of the other guests were likely to quit the dance floor or other pleasures of the ball in order to admire Lord Lockton’s art collection, she would be undisturbed.
‘ Here you are,’ a voice said from the shadows some time later. ‘It’s safe to come out now, everyone has calmed down.’ It was Mr Denham, Annabel felt her heart give a little lift and then she spied Justine. She was not exactly disappointed to see her twin, she told herself, and it was true, she was actually fascinated by Justine, the girl who shared her face and lived the life she was meant to have had, and she wasn’t sure what she hoped for from Mr Denham but she would have preferred him to have come to find her alone.
Justine did not appear to share her reservations. She came forward and took Annabel’s hands in her own. ‘Wasn’t that the most extraordinary tale you have ever heard?’ she asked, and Annabel wondered if her own eyes glowed like that when she was deeply moved. ‘Although they have agreed that it would be best for you to return with the Blacks for tonight, our poor mothers are in quite a state. But I myself couldn’t be happier, I’ve gained a sister tonight!’
‘I’m very glad to have gained a sister too,’ Annabel said, and found to her surprise it was true. Impulsively she kissed Justine on the cheek.
‘Miss Black,’ Mr Denham interrupted and smiled sardonically, ‘if you have quite finished admiring Lord Lockton’s fine collection of paintings - good Lord, one of them has been taken!’ Annabel almost laughed at the look on his face, in an instant he had changed from smooth society beau to someone much more real and genuinely shocked, but then she turned to look over her shoulder and saw an incongruously empty space on the wall, featuring only the image of
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