Queen of Hearts

by Rhys Bowen

  “If one has consumed too much alcohol. I was in favor of prohibition, myself. And these actresses—they may look pretty but not a brain in their heads. In the old days it used to be the true upper classes who traveled on ships like this. Not so-called Hollywood royalty. I don’t know what the world is coming to.”

  The captain escorted me back up the stairs while Darcy and other crew members searched Mrs. Waldeck’s cabin. Having instructed Queenie that she was to stay in my cabin until told that she could go out, I went up on deck. Queenie had not been happy. “But what if you don’t come back and I miss me dinner?” she demanded.

  “Until recently you were groaning that you could never face food again,” I pointed out.

  “Ah, but I got me sea legs now and me appetite has come back. And bloody good food they serve here too.”

  “I’ll make sure you don’t miss your dinner, I promise,” I said. “But stay unobtrusive. Keep the curtains partly drawn so that nobody can see you’re in the room. And if anyone tries to come in, call for help right away.”

  “What exactly is this in aid of?” she asked.

  “You are not to say a word to anybody, but someone may come to steal my jewels.”

  This made her convulse in laughter. “Gorn!” she said. “You ain’t got nothing worth stealing with yer.”

  “I know that, but the thief may not. Try to get a good look at him.”

  “What if I’m in danger and he clobbers me?”

  “I don’t think that will happen. If he sees you, he’ll simply disappear.”

  “Bob’s yer uncle then,” she said.

  I worried a little as I went out onto the deck. I worried whether she’d spill the beans, or whether she might get hurt. But first I had to do my part and spread the word about my valuable jewel. It seemed that the ship was buzzing with rumor. I saw Algie Broxley-Foggett with Tubby Halliday and a group of young men. Algie waved. “Did you hear there has been a daring robbery?” he asked.

  “I heard there had been several. All jewels,” a young American said. “Rather stupid not to keep the good stuff in the ship’s safe, I’d say.”

  “But such a bore if you want to wear it in the evening,” I said. “I’m borrowing a divine bracelet from my cousin Queen Mary and I’m not keeping it in the safe. She said to me, ‘My dear, jewels are to be worn and enjoyed, not locked away,’ so I’m obeying. But my cabin is locked and my maid keeps an eye on it, so why worry.”

  “Presumably this woman who had the diamond ring stolen has a maid and a locked cabin,” Tubby Halliday said. “I do hope they catch the blighter.”

  My opinion of him rose a little until he added, “It will make a terrific scoop for me. Burglar caught red-handed on luxury liner. Your correspondent witnesses arrest—or better still aids in the capture.”

  “Then you’d better start prowling the halls to see if the thief strikes again,” Algie said, “not wasting your time playing quoits with us loafers.”

  DARCY DID NOT show his face all day. Nothing untoward happened and the only visitor at the cabin was a stewardess who knocked on the door with a pile of clean towels, asking if I had telephoned to request extras. I said I hadn’t and she went again. Evening came, my last evening on the ship. It should have been a romantic occasion—a final ball at sea and my beloved on board to dance with me. But my beloved and I were both occupied with trying to catch a thief and this would be a last chance for that thief to strike. I had butterflies in my stomach as I told Queenie to lay out my white silk evening pajamas. There was to be a black-and-white ball after dinner and for once I’d be dressed in something fashionable. I put them on and added a jet ornament to my hair and a jet bangle. Then I went the whole hog and put on a touch of bright red lipstick and a little rouge.

  Mummy nodded in approval when I went to find her. “The duckling is finally growing into a swan,” she said. “The outfit suits you. Did you hear about the burglaries? I’ve been closeted with Stella and Cy all day and my maid has only just told me. Thank God I never travel with my good jewels. How stupid can you be to bring valuable stones on board a ship?”

  She was wearing a backless black evening dress that accentuated her still wonderfully slim and boyish figure and sported long white gloves and a delightful little white feather cap on her head. Over one glove she wore a sparkling bracelet. Seeing it gave me an idea. “Mummy, can I possibly wear that tonight? The jet is a bit drab.”

  “It’s only costume jewelry, darling.” She pulled it off. “Here, have it.”

  I slipped it on. Hoping but not hoping that the thief would think it was real. Off we went to dinner and for once I enjoyed heads turning as we passed. Still no sign of Princess Promila. Mrs. Simpson wore the black beaded dress again, proving that she had nobody on board she needed to impress. The talk was naturally all about today’s robbery.

  “They called us all on deck, and of course the robber took that opportunity to strike,” Sir Digby said. “Thank God Lady Digby leaves her good jewelry in the bank when we travel.”

  “I can’t imagine anyone traveling with real jewels,” Mrs. Simpson said. “I have paste copies made and leave the real ones at home.”

  “Exactly what I do,” Mummy said. “I mean, whom does one need to impress on a ship?”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Mrs. Simpson said.

  The two women looked at each other, for one rare occasion on the same side and in agreement.

  At a table close by we heard Mrs. Waldeck loudly lamenting her stolen diamond. Dinner ended and we made our way up to the ballroom for the black-and-white ball. Everyone looked rather splendid and seemed to be having a good time. I looked around, hoping that Darcy might have come out of hiding. Instead I saw Algie, heading toward me with a look of determination on his face.

  “Care to hop around the floor, old bean?” he said. “It’s a slow number so I won’t tread on your toes too often.”

  Pity overtook regard for the safety of my feet. Off we shuffled onto the crowded dance floor.

  “So where will you go when we step ashore?” he asked me.

  “A couple of days in New York, I gather, and then a train across the country and ending up in Hollywood where my mother might be persuaded to take part in a film. Who knows what she’ll do?”

  “Crikey,” he said. “Whiz bang, what? It will be dashed exciting, watching a film being made. I don’t suppose they’ll need any good-looking young British extras, will they?”

  “I doubt it,” I said.

  “No, of course not. Dashed stupid idea as usual.”

  “So where will you go?” I really was feeling sorry for him now. How would someone so hopeless survive in the cutthroat world of America?

  “Not sure, actually. Where they have ranches, I suppose. Where is that? Texas? Kansas? I really have no idea. And frankly I’m not sure any ranch would want me. I do ride rather well, so that might be in my favor.” He sighed. “Oh well, if nothing works out, I’ll come and visit you in Hollywood.”

  Oh golly. I couldn’t very well say, “Not if you were the last man on earth,” could I?

  The dance ended and the slow fox-trot turned into a fast-paced jive.

  “Oh jolly good. The jive. My favorite American dance. I’ve been practicing,” he said.

  “Oh, no, I don’t think . . .” I started to say when my partner started flinging me around the floor. I became a lethal weapon, hurtling toward other couples like a bowling ball toward ninepins.

  “Algie, stop. Do stop,” I tried to shout over the blast of trumpets.

  “You’re doing fine, old bean,” he yelled back. “Isn’t this fun?”

  Since I had just knocked an elderly couple off the floor I could hardly agree, but Algie had turned into a wild thing and kept grabbing me and hurling me before I could collect myself. When someone equally uncoordinated careened into Algie’s back he did let go of me and
I went flying across the floor, out of control. The doors out onto the deck were open and I hurtled toward them, past surprised faces and out into the night.

  “Whoa, Georgie, what are you doing?” Darcy appeared from the darkness of the deck and grabbed me before I could bounce off the ship’s rail.

  “I’m so glad it’s you,” I said, feeling his arms around me. “That idiot Algie Broxley-Foggett was dancing the jive with me. He’s quite lethal.”

  “Then let’s hightail it away before he comes looking for you.” Darcy put an arm around me and shepherded me toward the prow of the ship. Suddenly we were alone in the darkness. Strains of music floated out across the water.

  “This is nice.” I beamed up at him.

  The music turned into a slow waltz. “Would you care to dance?” Darcy said and took me in his arms.

  We waltzed together in the darkness and although I usually had to think of the steps when I danced, suddenly my feet weren’t touching the ground. I was conscious of the warmth of his body against the thin silk of my outfit and his arms holding me so close that I could feel his heart beating. I nestled my head against his chest, enjoying the feeling of safety and contentment. I was sad when the music ended.

  “I shouldn’t really be out here.” Darcy looked around, but the foredeck was deserted, apart from us. He went over to the railing and looked out. I followed him and he pulled me close to him again. “But frankly at this moment I don’t care. If the gentleman thief doesn’t know I’m on his trail by now then he’s not as smart as I thought he was.”

  “Princess Promila wasn’t at dinner again tonight,” I said. “She must be very upset.” Then another thought struck me. “I suppose she really is Princess Promila? The burglar couldn’t have snuck on board, killed the real Princess and dumped her body over the side?”

  I felt Darcy holding me a little tighter. “You’re suggesting that my jewel thief is a woman and has killed the real Princess Promila?”

  “It’s a possibility,” I said.

  He frowned. “But the princess’s faithful retainer would surely notice the difference.”

  “Unless her faithful retainer is also a fake?”

  “But the number of passengers adds up—unless?” He paused. “We didn’t count on a stowaway when we did our cabin check. I suppose stowing away wouldn’t be impossible on a ship of this size.” He was staring out past me, trying to assess the situation, or visualize the princess’s suite.

  “Couldn’t you check up on the princess after she leaves the ship? Follow her? Make sure she’s genuine?”

  “I could. I believe she said she’s going to stay with the Astors. They’d certainly know if she was a fake.” He stared out to sea. “So did you spread the word about your valuable jewels?”

  “Yes, I did. And I stayed in my cabin most of the afternoon but no visits from the burglar. So I thought I should make the bait more tempting. I borrowed something flashy from my mother. It looks quite real, doesn’t it?” I held up my arm, then I said, “It’s gone.”

  There was no longer a sparkling bracelet on my wrist.

  “When did you see it last?” Darcy asked.

  “Before I started dancing with Algie. But he was flinging me around a lot. It’s possible it just got knocked off from my wrist and is lying somewhere on the floor.”

  “Possible,” Darcy said. “Do you remember anyone dancing too close to you? Bumping into you?”

  “Actually I was bumping into other people,” I said. “Algie’s idea of the jive was quite dangerous.”

  “We’d better go back and look,” Darcy said. “I don’t really want to show my face in there, but would you go in again and look for the bracelet? Let people know it’s missing. Seem upset. Watch reactions.”

  “I suppose so,” I said. “Why does something always seem to come in the way when we’re together? Are we destined to have no more than two minutes alone and in peace?”

  Darcy stroked back a curl that had fallen across my face then ran a finger down my nose, resting it on my lips. “We just have to be patient for now. I’m trying my hardest to make some money—to make up for everything my father lost. One day I’d like to buy back our family home. And the racing stables. Big dream, I know. But I can’t marry you and set you up in a horrid little flat.”

  “Darcy, I don’t need much.”

  “You are the daughter of a duke, granddaughter of a princess. I’m going to provide for you properly or not at all.” He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. “Now go in there and see what you can do.”

  I held his arm. “When will I see you again?”

  “I really don’t know. I don’t think I can show my face at disembarkation, just in case . . .”

  “Will you stay in New York? We’re going to be there for a few days.”

  He sighed. “I can’t tell you, Georgie. I have no idea where I’ll be going after this, or whether I’ll be summoned straight back to England. I’ll have to wait for instructions. You won’t be long in America, will you?”

  “Who knows? If Mummy gets a taste of Hollywood stardom our trip may drag on.”

  “So you’ll be going to Hollywood with Stella and Goldman?” He started to say something, hesitated, then said, “Look, I don’t want you to do anything in any way dangerous, but you could keep an eye on Stella Brightwell for me, couldn’t you? Nothing silly like searching her room or anything, but seeing if there are any more burglaries . . .”

  “Seeing if she wears the princess’s ruby?” I asked, grinning.

  He shook his head again. “No, forget it. It’s all too ridiculous. It has to be someone else. Let’s just hope we find something when the passengers leave the ship. The New York police will be coming on board and they’ll have the authority for a thorough search of anyone we might suspect. Not that it will be pleasant. In fact I suspect there will be an awful fuss.” He grinned then touched my arm lightly. “You should go or the ball will be over.”

  Inside the ballroom the band now broke into a quickstep. I gazed up at Darcy, memorizing every feature, the way his eyes crinkled at the side when he smiled, the way a lock of dark curl always flopped forward across his forehead, the little cleft in the middle of his chin.

  “I’ll see you soon,” he said. “I promise. I do love you, Georgie. You know that.”

  I nodded, feeling tears welling up. “I love you too.”

  He drew me to him, kissed me hard on the lips, then let me go. Reluctantly I went back into the ballroom. I went over to where I had been sitting beside Mummy and Stella. “I’m afraid I’ve lost your bracelet,” I said. “I had it on when I was dancing with Algie. Now it’s not there.”

  “Don’t worry, darling. As I said, it’s only a copy. And the clasp was always a bit loose.” She sighed. “I think I’m going to bed. I thought there might be a man or two worth dancing with, but Stella is hogging Juan and frankly there is nobody else. And I do wish people wouldn’t keep staring. Really it is so tiring being a celebrity. You’ll notice Mrs. Simpson never bothers to show up at these things.”

  She got up, picked up her white fur wrap and flung it carelessly over her shoulder. “Coming?” she asked.

  “Actually I think I’ll stay a little longer. I might want to dance again.”

  “After that outing with the clod-footed oaf I should have thought you’d had enough dancing for a while.”

  I smiled. “You never know.”

  Off she went. Stella and Juan came back to join me. “Your mama has gone to bed?” Stella asked.

  I nodded. “Nobody worth dancing with. But I have to look for my bracelet. It was rather valuable and now I’ve lost it. It must have come off my wrist while I was dancing.”

  “We’ll help you look, honey,” she said. “Won’t we, Juan?”

  I watched her as she went around the room. She really appeared to be searching diligently. Would she have
had a chance to remove my bracelet when we were sitting together, or as I got up to dance with Algie? It seemed too stupid to consider. I spotted Algie sitting alone with a glass of something green in front of him. I went over to him.

  “You didn’t happen to see my bracelet, did you? It must have fallen off when we were dancing.”

  “Golly, no,” he said. “That’s a rum do, isn’t it? Was that the valuable bracelet you were talking about? Must have fallen off when we were spinning around. Do you want me to help you look?”

  So now he joined Stella. Soon the word got out and half the crowd was searching, but the bracelet didn’t turn up. In the end I went to bed. As I opened my cabin door the first thing I heard was a fierce snort of some wild animal. I turned on the light to find Queenie, lying on my bed, mouth open and snoring. And the second thing I saw was my bracelet, lying on my bedside table.

  Now I was really perplexed. Was it possible I had forgotten to put it on after all? No. I remembered showing it to people, mentioning how it had come from the queen and was a priceless piece. So how had it got here?

  “Queenie?” I asked. I had to repeat her name, louder and louder, until she gave a final quick snort and opened her eyes. “Oh, wotcher, miss. Had a nice dance then?”

  “Queenie, did anyone come into the cabin while I was out?”

  “I don’t think so. I must have nodded off when it got late. But no one knocked on the door.”

  It was a perplexing puzzle. Queenie helped me undress then went back to her own quarters. I half hoped that Darcy would come to visit me again, but he didn’t.

  Chapter 11

  MONDAY, JULY 16, 1934

  New York ahead. I must say I’m excited to see America for the first time!

  Our last morning on board dawned with no new reports of burglaries and we had to busy ourselves with packing my belongings, ready to go ashore. I realized then that there was no way that everyone could be searched properly. A jewel could be stuffed into the toe of a shoe, wrapped among stockings, handkerchiefs or even cut into the pages of a book. A clever thief would have no problem getting the jewel past the police.