“So that man has seen them!” the Dowager remarked acidly. “In which case the child cannot be kept hidden.”
She looked Carina straight in the eyes and said,
“Put the child down, I want to talk to you.”
Carina put Dipa down on the ground, where he instantly darted away from her towards the dog on the hearthrug.
“Doggie, doggie!” they heard him calling in his high sing-song voice. “Doggie play with Dipa?”
Carina turned to find the Dowager looking full at her and there was something formidable in the dark sunken eyes, which made her feel instinctively that she must be on her guard.
“Are you trustworthy?” the Dowager asked.
Carina’s chin went up. This was something that touched her personally.
“I am,” she answered.
“Can we trust you? That is the question,” the Dowager said.
“It depend
