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striking, perhaps too striking for a debutante at the beginning of her first season, but by the time this is made up you will no longer be a complete newcomer to society.’
    ‘Now we must engage dressmakers,’ Madeline said imperiously when they had finished with the fabric shops. ‘Then tomorrow we must come back and chose trimmings.’
    ‘Next week is quite soon enough, my dear,’ Aunt Delilah said mildly. ‘You are forgetting that Augusta and Annabel are new to all this, we don’t want to wear them out before they’ve even begun and the Lockton House ball is tomorrow evening. Now, we must press on with the dressmakers. Peterson is to collect us at four on the corner of Bond and Regent Streets.’
    Annabel found the discussions with the dressmakers quite as enthralling as the visits to the fabric shops although Madeline took twice as long as Augusta and herself as she insisted on finalising every last detail of her costume. They eventually emerged onto the pavement shortly before four and Annabel was feeling very pleased with all she had accomplished that afternoon when Madeline suddenly said ‘The train, the rose silk train, I must speak to Madam Dupont!’ and dashed back inside the shop. With an impatient cluck, and a quick glance at the younger two girls which seemed to convey the order to wait where they were, Aunt Delilah turned and followed Madeline, leaving Annabel and Augusta alone in the cooling sun while other shoppers strolled past them.
    ‘Madeline enjoys all this so much, I wonder if she will ever marry,’ Augusta said gloomily.
    ‘I’m sure Aunt Delilah would not put up with that!’ Annabel said feelingly.
    ‘Mama loves the season quite as much as Madeline does,’ Augusta said. ‘It occupies her conversation all year round.’
    At that moment a lady of middling years, but still fashionably dressed, approached them. ‘Augusta, how lovely to see you,’ she said.
    ‘Good afternoon, Mrs Price,’ Augusta said, dropping a small curtsey. ‘May I introduce my cousin Miss Annabel Black? Annabel, this is Mrs Price. She is a close friend of my mother’s.’
    ‘It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs Price,’ Annabel said automatically. Mrs Price smiled at her vaguely, but seemed more interested in chatting to Augusta, whom she seemed to feel would know the very latest news on all their mutual acquaintances. Annabel was idly watching the passers-by
    when one in particular caught her eye. It was Mr Denham, he saw her at the same time, and to her surprise he crossed the street to speak to her.
    ‘Don’t tell me,’ he said, without preamble. ‘You were off for an improving afternoon at the British Museum when your driver took a wrong turn and you found yourself obliged to order a new dress instead.’
    His comment was so unexpected that despite his outrageously familiar teasing Annabel laughed. ‘However you, yourself were there, making a quick count of the Elgin marbles to ensure that none of them had been spirited away in the night,’ she rejoined and was surprised to see the laughter fade from his face.
    ‘You’ve heard about the Titian, then,’ he said in a far more serious tone.
    ‘Only a little,’ Annabel said. ‘Was it actually stolen whilst we were admiring Lord Seaforth’s latest acquisitions?’
    ‘It’s possible,’ Mr Denham said. ‘What seems more likely is that the thief used the opportunity presented by the viewing to unlatch a window or door through which he could return later that night.’
    Annabel gasped. ‘But that implies that the thief is one of the ton . Surely no gentleman would stoop to such a thing?’
    Mr Denham gave her a slightly puzzled look. ‘What a very innocent question. You are quite right. No gentleman would commit theft, but being one of society’s elite does not necessarily guarantee that a man is a gentleman.’
    ‘Is Mr Leahey much distressed at his association with the theft?’ Annabel asked. ‘He must of course be relieved that his own