asked.
Ada gave a shout of laughter. âItâs best not to let everyone become too sure of what Iâll do next. Do you like it?â
âYou look fantastic.â She gave her a kiss. âHappy birthday, Grandmother.â
âThank you, my dear. How was your afternoon with Robert?â
âVery pleasant. He said I should ask you about your relationship with him.â
She raised an eyebrow. âHe did, did he?â
âYes. Now donât tease or put me off, Grandmother.â
Ada smiled into the mirror as she fastened an earring. âDo you like him?â
âGrandmother!â
âIâll tell you this much. Heâs not my employee.â She grinned wickedly, then added, âAnd heâs not my lover. Oh, donât try to look innocent, I know whatâs being said. But heâs not. I have no romantic interest in himânone whatsoever.â
âBut you seem so closeââ
âWe are very close. But that has nothing to do with the price of eggs, so get off your pretty duff and pursue the man.â She turned and gave Sarah a quick kiss. âYou were very sweet not to offer your old granny any competition for that young fox.â
âGrandmother!â
âYouâre attracted to him, Sarah. Have been from the day you met him.â
âWhat utter nonsense.â
âIs it?â
Sarah opened her mouth to protest, and closed it again.
Ada laughed and turned back to the mirror. âI thought so. Well, my dear, you have my blessing.â
T he birthday party was wildly successful. Sarah, returning from one of her frequent strolls on one of the upper decks, saw Ada dancing an energetic fox trot with Captain Dolmanâwho was an excellent dancer, but still seemed very nervous. Ada, she noticed, had spent a great deal of time with Captain Dolman. Although Sarah had been dreading another encounter with Senator Hastings, she had not seen him since the first hour of the party, when he had been talking to Robert. Surprised that he would pass up an opportunity to work a crowd this wealthy and influential, she was, nevertheless, pleased that she had been spared another round of quizzing.
She hadnât seen much of Robert, either. She had danced with him once, but he had seemed so preoccupied that she had difficulty holding a conversation with him.
âIâm terrible company tonight,â he said as the dance ended. âMay we try this again, another evening? Just the two of us?â
Telling him she would consider that a promise, she resolved not to make a nuisance of herself to him.
Now, several hours later, she strolled near Adaâs table. Although the invitations had said, âNo gifts,â a few of Adaâs friends had ignored these instructions. When her grandmother returned from the dance floor, Sarah offered to take the packages to her room.
âThank you, Sarah!â she said, âHow very thoughtful of you.â She gave Sarah the key to the room and turned to accept an offer to waltz with one of her other guests. Captain Dolman offered to help Sarah, but as there were only five boxes to be carried, she politely declined his assistance.
As she came down the stairs, her arms full, she was surprised to see Robert leaving his suite, his face set in a forbidding frown. He did not see her, however, and quickly moved off in the opposite direction, toward the elevator. She nearly called to him, to ask what was troubling him, but decided not to delay him, as he was so apparently in a hurry.
She managed to open the door to Adaâs suite, only to discover that she had entered through the servantâs door, rather than the main door, which opened into the sitting area. This part of the suiteâthis small room, and beyond it the bathroom and large bedroom, were closed off from the sitting room, and except for the light from the hallway behind her, it was in darkness. Sarah tried to reach for the old-fashioned