that you recognized me, too, and I prayed you would not mention it to the others.”
Gina gave a self-deprecating laugh. “I’d have had to give myself away, Miss Race, and I was not about to do that.”
“Call me Christina,” she said before rushing on. “And I want to assure you that I do not frequent such places as the one where we first met. Stanley had been invited by some of his friends and did not understand the sort of…affair it was to be, or he swears he never would have taken me. And I…well, I could see that you were not accustomed to such things either.”
“I had never seen a complete stranger unclothed before. But to do so in such a public manner, and in such a pose, was a great surprise to me.”
“Wicked London,” Christina murmured. “There is quite a different world here than the one we inhabit, Miss O’Rourke.”
She weighed the risk of mentioning Mr. Henley so soon, but she hadn’t much time herself. “You must call me Gina, then. Meeting you has been quite fortuitous. You see, I am actually looking for some of the people in our group that night.”
The woman shuddered. “Why?”
“I lost something that night, and I believe one of them might have it, or know where it is.”
“I cannot recall anyone finding something that night. But I wish you luck of it, Gina, and I must say I admire your courage. For myself, I hope never to see any of them again.”
“Oh. I understand.” Gina turned away.
“I did not mean you!” Christina stayed her with a hand on her arm. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Did you know them all—the people in our group?”
She shook her head and looked down at the floor as if searching her mind. “That was the first time I stole away to go anywhere privately with Stanley. I did not know many of his friends, then, and I have not seen those particular ones since. Most were like you, complete strangers.”
“Would you ask Mr. Metcalfe if he remembers that night, and who was there? If he would be willing to meet with me, perhaps I could persuade him to help.”
Christina looked doubtful. “I shall ask him, of course, but I think he’d rather leave that night in the distant past.”
“Tell him that I urgently and desperately need his help. Tell him that my entire future depends upon it.”
Christina searched her face and then nodded. “My goodness! What did you lose?”
“Something irreplaceable. Something I must recover.”
“But of course I shall tell him, my dear. The very next time I see him.”
“Tomorrow?” she urged.
“I… Yes. Are you going to the Albermarle crush Tuesday next?”
She recalled seeing that name in the calendar and stack of invitations Lady Sarah had given her and nodded.
“I shall ask him to accompany me there.”
“Thank you.” Gina squeezed her arm in gratitude.
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