“Good morning, Filipa,” he said.
Then he quickly looked over his shoulder as he remembered that he should have called her ‘Fifi’.
Fortunately the two gentlemen who had been in the room when Filipa came in had just left.
She smiled as she replied,
“It’s safe for the moment, but do be careful.”
“Is there anything to eat?” Mark asked.
As he spoke, he walked towards the dozen silver entrée dishes all full of delicious food and kept hot by candles beneath them.
Filipa laughed at the joke and said,
“Are you hungry or did you drink too much last night?”
“I drank very little,” Mark replied. “I was playing piquet with the Marquis and, as you know he does not drink, so I had to follow his example.”
Filipa felt her heart give a leap of joy.
“You played with the Marquis?”
“Yes, he organise
