by TG Haynes
One in particular caught Nikki’s eye. A striking female figure was reclining at the water’s edge, surrounded by maidens and nymphs. All of the women in the picture were naked. The nymphs were aghast, for a young hunter had stumbled upon them. The youth regarded the scene in open-mouthed wonder. The way his body was half-turned suggested that he was trying his best to look away, only his eyes were riveted on the central female figure, the hunting goddess Diana. The look on Diana’s face was difficult to interpret. Her expression seemed to be part anger, part intrigue, as if she wasn’t entirely certain how to react to the young man’s presence. Should she give in to temptation and invite the youth to join her? Or should she take offence at his temerity and have him turned him into a stag and hunted down by his own hounds? Knowing her classical mythology reasonably well, sadly, Nikki knew the poor youth’s outcome.
‘It’s a Titian,’ Matt informed her.
Nikki’s eyes widened. ‘An original?’
He laughed. ‘I doubt it. I would have thought it’s a reproduction, but you never know.’
As he guided her down the corridor, she couldn’t help glancing over her shoulder at the painting. Diana’s eyes seemed to follow her as she went. The goddess smiled enigmatically. Nikki silently hoped that she hadn’t somehow incurred the deity’s wrath. She knew how unwise it was to displease the gods.
At the end of the corridor, before entering the ballroom, Matt reached into his left jacket pocket and fished out two eye-masks. He offered one to her. ‘You’ll need this; most people inside are wearing them.’
Nikki accepted the gift gratefully, slipped the mask on, and nodded to him. Playing the gentleman once again, Matt opened the large double doors. Nikki had never seen such a magnificent room in all her life. It looked like something out of a Jane Austen novel. Half a dozen candelabra made of the finest lead crystal lit the grand hall, but instead of period furniture, it boasted a roulette wheel, blackjack table, dice and several other enticing booths at which to lose your soul. Money and champagne flowed freely and the vast majority of the guests seemed to be having a riot of a time.
The Earl of Rutland himself, one of the country’s most eligible bachelors, was standing at the end of the dice pit, surrounded by a bevy of nymphs who wouldn’t have looked out of place in the painting that Nikki had just been admiring. He was the only person in the room who wasn’t wearing a mask. He loosened his collar and raised his dice aloft. Silence descended around him. Barely looking, he held them out to one side. The sultry brunette standing there obediently kissed them. The Earl whispered his thanks, shook them, and cast them down the table.
The dice were black onyx; the numbers embedded in their faces were cut diamonds. The light dazzled off the jewels as the dice bounced and bumped down the velvet-cloaked table. Nikki couldn’t see where they came to rest, but she knew that they must have done, for the Earl and his entourage let out loud whoops of excitement. He then called for champagne, to celebrate his latest slice of good fortune.
To get a better view, she approached the table, and as the Earl retrieved the dice, he noticed her for the first time. He cupped them in his left hand and held them out towards her, inviting her to kiss them. She shook her head. ‘I’m afraid I don’t gamble.’
The Earl raised his eyebrows in surprise. He reached inside his jacket pocket, withdrew a gold-plated cigarette case, flipped it open, and offered one to Nikki. She declined. The Earl looked intrigued, if a mite disappointed. He snapped the case shut and clicked his fingers. As if out of nowhere, a glass of champagne appeared in his right hand and he offered this to her too. ‘Please tell me you have at least one vice.’
She nodded as she accepted the drink.
The Earl laughed. ‘Thank God for that. A virtuous life is so dull, don’t you think?’
Nikki declined to answer. As she took a sip from the glass, the Earl tried his best to entreat her once again. She remained resolute, though, and so he had to return the dice to the lips of the brunette. As he cast them down the table, Nikki took her leave of him. The shout that went up behind her told her that he had won again. Some people seemed to have all the luck.
An athletic girl, who was wearing a striking green cocktail dress, detached herself from the mantelpiece where she had been leaning and approached Nikki. ‘Not many people say no to the Earl.’
‘Do you think I’ve offended him?’
‘All the better if you have. Everyone needs to be denied that which they desire once in a while.’
‘Why’s that?’
The girl in the green dress grinned mischievously. ‘Because it makes them want it all the more.’
Nikki laughed. ‘You make it sound as if the Earl wants me.’
‘Why wouldn’t he? You’re beautiful.’
‘Thanks,’ she replied, somewhat surprised at the directness of the compliment.
‘Even if you don’t belong here.’
‘What makes you say that?’ Nikki grinned nervously.
The girl toyed with the rim of her glass before replying, ‘Because we both know that you don’t have an invite that allows you into the hall.’
Nikki tried her best to play the innocent. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Yes, you do.’ Nikki was about to object, but before she could do so, her companion continued, ‘Don’t worry, I’m not about to snitch on you.’
‘Thank you.’
‘As long as you tell me why you ran the risk.’
Nikki glanced around. They weren’t in earshot of anyone else, although Matt was still watching closely. She lowered her voice. ‘Why should I trust you?’
The girl shrugged. ‘No reason at all.’
Disarmed by her new companion’s honesty, Nikki confessed, ‘I’m trying to secure an interview.’
‘With the Earl?’
‘No. With someone much more elusive.’
‘Who?’
‘Roxanna May,’ Nikki whispered.
‘Ah, the princess.’
‘Do you know her?’
The girl in the green dress thought long and hard before replying. ‘Vaguely.’
‘Is there any chance you could put in a word for me?’
The girl pursed her lips. ‘It won’t be easy. She guards her privacy with a passion.’
‘Please.’
While she considered Nikki’s request, the girl finished her drink. Then she looked around to make sure that no one was watching and retreated towards a set of doors in the corner of the room. With a curt nod she bade Nikki follow her. The two women entered a small ante-room. Double-checking that no one had followed them, the girl whispered, ‘Very well, I’ll do my best with the princess if you grant me one tiny wish first.’
‘What’s that?’ Nikki asked.
‘Kiss me.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Kiss me.’
‘But I don’t … I mean … that is to say …’
The girl finished her sentence for her. ‘You’ve never kissed another woman before?’
Nikki shook her head. A glint lit up the girl’s hazel eyes. Behind the slits in her face mask, they sparkled like the dice at the Earl’s table. ‘All the better.’
Nikki bit her lip. ‘One kiss?’
The girl nodded.
‘Nothing more?’
Another nod.
Nikki took a deep breath. It was only one little kiss – would it really hurt? ‘Very well,’ she said and puckered her lips.
Her heart began to beat faster and she felt the back of her neck tingle. At first, she thought it was fear, but then she realised there was something more than that. There was a faint hint of a sensation that she hadn’t experienced since her first-ever kiss as a teenager; it was a feeling of intrigue. As their lips came into contact, the girl caressed her; her left hand slipped on to the nape of Nikki’s neck as her right reached around her back and pulled their bodies tight together. Her lips felt much softer than any Nikki had kissed previously. It felt so exciting and thrilling.
‘I’m sorry.’ Nikki apologised.
‘What for?’
‘I-I’m not sure.’
‘Then don’t be sorry.’ The girl in the green dress stroked her lips with the back of her hand. ‘And you say you’ve never kissed a girl before?’
Nikki shook her head.
The girl raised her eyebrows. Nikki thought that she heard her murmur a soft “wow” under her breath.
‘Do you always kiss so passionately?’ the girl asked.
‘I think so.’
The girl looked impressed.
Returning to the matter at hand, Nikki asked, ‘Will you put in a word for me, then?’
‘A deal’s a deal,’ the girl replied.
Nikki hugged her companion, then realised that after what had just taken place it might not have been the wisest idea, for she didn’t want to give her the wrong impression. ‘Sorry.’
‘No apology needed,’ the girl said.
‘So when do I get to meet Roxanna?’
The girl glanced at the throng of partygoers in the main room. ‘It’s not going to be easy. I don’t think the princess would ever grant an interview here.’
‘But you said …’
Ignoring the interjection, the girl continued. ‘I think you need to meet her somewhere private. Somewhere secluded, far away from prying eyes.’ Suddenly, she rounded on Nikki. ‘How well do you know the house?’
‘Hardly at all.’
‘Hmm. There’s the main staircase in the entrance hall, but that’s not going to be much use to you because security will be watching. However, there is a back staircase, which was originally built for the servants. Ask Matt to show you where it is. At the top of the stairs take a left, then the first right. That should bring you out on to the main upper corridor, along which you’ll find six doors, three on the right, three on the left. Enter the first on the right and wait for the princess there.’
Nikki glanced across at Matt. ‘Can I trust him?’
‘Implicitly.’
Nikki could think of a lot of words to describe Matt Darnley. She wasn’t sure that “trustworthy” would be one of them.
‘By the way, whatever you do, don’t take the second door on the right,’ the girl warned.
‘Why not?’
‘That’s the Earl’s room.’
‘And he’d have me thrown out?’
‘I think he’d do a lot worse than that,’ the girl said.
Before Nikki had a chance to ask what she meant, one of the security staff approached the pair.
‘Go,’ the girl whispered, ‘I’ll deal with this.’
Nikki tried her best to look as casual as possible as she wandered off. Glancing back over her shoulder, she was quite surprised to see that, rather than give the girl in the green dress a hard time, the security guard adopted a deferential manner.
She didn’t have time to give the scene much thought though, as, not looking where she was going, she bumped into Matt. He caught her in his arms. ‘Easy!’
Nikki pulled away from him.
‘Let me guess, the room on the right at the top of the back stairs?’
She eyed him suspiciously. ‘Are you a lip reader?’
‘Let’s just say, when you’ve been employed by Milady for as long as I have, you get to know how her mind works.’
‘You mean …?’ Nikki indicated the girl in the green dress.
Matt nodded.
‘Who is she?’
‘You didn’t recognise her?’
‘No, should I?’
Matt smiled enigmatically. Nikki tried her best to get him to reveal the girl’s name, but he steadfastly refused. Perhaps he was trustworthy after all. He led her to the bottom of the old servants’ staircase, which was unguarded.
‘Good luck,’ he whispered.
‘Thanks,’ she replied.
As she ascended the stairway, Matt smiled and said to himself, ‘I think you may well need it.’
Chapter Three
The Bet
At the top of the stairs, Nikki took a left turn as instructed, then paused. To her chagrin, there was no corridor to her right. There was another tiny stairway, but that looked as if it led to an attic. The only other option was the main corridor to her left. She bit her lip and deliberated. After a few seconds, she decided to gamble on the corridor rather than the stairway.
She hadn’t gone more than a few steps when one of the doors to her left eased open. Quickly, she darted into the room opposite it to hide, holding the door slightly ajar so she’d be able to see whoever came out of the room. She didn’t recognise the couple in question, but it was clear, from the dishevelled state of their attire, what they had been up to. Before rejoining the party below, the pair lingered for a moment to share a final embrace.
As she watched, Nikki felt something brush against her arm; then she heard a woman’s voice ask, ‘Anything interesting going on out there?’
Nikki spun around. A hand reached out and clicked the lights on in the room, and she found herself face to face with the girl in the green dress. The girl peered through the crack in the door at the couple and nodded understandingly. She clucked her tongue appreciatively. ‘Ah, I see.’ Then she closed the door.
Nikki felt somewhat annoyed. ‘Have you lured me up here under false pretences?’
Ignoring the comment, the girl crossed over to the dresser and raised a bottle of champagne. ‘Drink?’
‘No, thank you. I won’t be staying.’ Nikki’s hand closed around the door handle.
‘You don’t want your scoop, then?’
‘Of course I do. I can’t see any sign of Roxanna here, though.’
‘Hasn’t a clever girl like you worked out who I am yet?’
Slowly, comprehension dawned upon Nikki and she took a closer look at her companion. Perhaps it was because the girl’s chestnut hair was drawn back in a short, tight, ponytail, whereas it usually fell to her shoulders. The strong jawline should have been a dead giveaway, though. Reaching around the back of her head, Roxanna May undid her face mask and discarded it.
Nikki had no idea why she did what she did next, but she bobbed a curtsy. ‘Your Highness.’
Roxanna laughed. ‘If only I were.’
Bursting with eagerness to begin the interview, Nikki reached into her handbag and withdrew a small digital Dictaphone.
‘What are you going to do with that?’ Roxanna asked.
‘Use it to record the interview.’
The girl shook her head.
‘But you promised.’
‘No. What I promised was to arrange a meeting with the princess. If you want to interview me, I might be prepared to grant that as well, subject to certain terms.’
‘Which are?’
Roxanna went over to the bed and sat upon the edge of it. ‘You seem a very driven girl, if you don’t mind me saying so.’
‘I suppose I am,’ Nikki admitted.
‘I’m guessing you’re the dedicated type. You work hard to get the few breaks that come your way and are determined to make it to the top one day.’
‘Yes.’
‘The question is, do you have the most important commodity of all?’
‘Which is?’
‘Luck.’
‘I think you make your own in life,’ Nikki said.
‘Interesting,’ Roxanna replied, clearly intrigued. ‘How much are you prepared to gamble on getting this interview, then?’
‘You can’t even begin to guess how much I’ve gambled just to get this far.’
‘I probably can, actually, so I’m sure you won’t mind one last throw of the dice.’ Roxanna held out her right hand to reveal one of the Earl’s diamond- studded dice.
&n
bsp; ‘What are you suggesting – that I risk my whole career on one throw of the dice? Why should I?’
The glint returned to Roxanna’s eyes. ‘Because it’s fun.’
‘It may be for you, but not for me,’ Nikki pointed out. ‘I stand to lose everything.’
‘So do I, in a way.’
‘How do you work that one out?’
‘Because that’s how highly I value my privacy,’ the princess said.
Though she wasn’t overly happy with the situation, Nikki didn’t see that she had much choice. ‘What are your terms, then?’
‘That’s the spirit,’ Roxanna said. ‘Right, one roll of the dice. If it lands on an even number, I grant you a full exclusive.’
‘Including what you get up to on that island of yours?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘What if it’s an odd number?’ Nikki asked.
Roxanna ran her eyes over her before replying. ‘You have to spend the night here, in this room, with me.’
Nikki’s heart skipped a beat. ‘You can’t be serious?’
‘I assure you, I very much am.’ Roxanna held out the dice. ‘It’s decision time, Ms Foster. Do you feel lucky?’
A sudden reckless urge coursed through Nikki’s veins. She sauntered over to Roxanna, took the dice out of the princess’ hand, and began to shake it.
She cast it onto the bed; both girls held their breath. The dice landed right on the very edge of the covers. Though it was at a slight angle, it looked as if it had landed on a three. As Roxanna shifted her body weight to get a better look, she disturbed the dice. It trickled off the far side of the bed and fell onto the floor. Such was Nikki’s anxiety to see which number had come up, she dived onto the bed next to Roxanna. The two girls peered at the carpet and scanned the floor. Something glinted beneath the bedside cabinet. Roxanna reached out towards it. Carefully, she took hold of the dice and brought it out into view. Six sparkling diamonds shone brightly. Nikki sank back onto the bed and breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Roxanna toyed with the dice between her right forefinger and thumb. ‘Lucky girl.’ She lay down next to Nikki, resting on her right elbow. Nikki reached for the Dictaphone once more. Roxanna stayed her hand. ‘How about one more throw?’
