CHAPTER FIVEThe next morning the performers were served breakfast on their own in a room next to the dining room, while the Duke and his friends had theirs in the dining room itself.
Carina, when she came down for breakfast, heard them laughing. She was sure she could single out the Duke’s laughter from the others and hurried past lest she be tempted to linger.
With everything in her she longed to see him, but she knew it would be considered improper for a show girl to seek him out and he must not see her without the mask.
Over breakfast she listened to the chatter of the other performers and learnt that the girls and Bertie himself had enjoyed whatever had happened to keep them up so late.
She guessed from the way one or two of them spoke that some of the things which had been said an
