“It was that cachet you gave me, Val. I meant to take it myself. But when I saw him it seemed only charitable to hand it over. He took it at once. That’s all he had.”
Val regarded her steadily. She was cold and slightly contemptuous.
“It was a perfectly ordinary cachet blanc,” she said.
“My dear, of course it was.” Georgia was eyeing her. “Of course.” She laughed and covered her face with her hands immediately afterwards. “I’m completely off my balance. I only suddenly remembered that that was the only thing he did take, and that you had meant it for me.”
The words were out of her mouth before she realised their full significance and she looked as startled by them as anyone else in the room.
Val rose.
“You don’t mean that, do you?” she said.
“No,” said Georgia hastily. “No. No, of c
