“I know, you have a hundred questions as to how this could have happened, and unfortunately I have no answers. Somehow, the original manifest—the one to China—was placed on the car instead of the correct one to Kazakhstan.” Roger held up his hands until everyone shut up. “The car was put into a container but it didn’t make it onto the plane. Regrettably, this means that although Anton and Dixon are perfectly capable of carrying on the race, they have no vehicle.”
A stunned silence fell on us all. I scooted closer to Dixon and, damning circumspection, took his hand, giving his fingers a supportive squeeze.
“I’m sorry, Dixon. I’m sorry, Anton. I’m afraid this means that you are both out of the race.”
“No!” a voice shrieked out, and I was startled to find it belonged to me. I’d also marched forward to stand infront of Roger, my hand still in Dixon’s, which meant he was hauled along with me. “You can’t do that! It’s not fair! Get them another car.”
The look Roger settled on me was filled with pity and exasperation. “I would if I could, darling, but unfortunately running antique cars capable of traveling from here to Paris are nonexistent.”
“You don’t know!” I argued.
“It’s all right, Paulie,” Dixon said quietly, tugging me back to his side. “It’s an unfortunate circumstance, nothing more.”
“Like hell it’s an unfortunate circumstance!” I turned to face him to make my case, but beyond his shoulder I saw the two Esses watching, their faces identical masks of concern. I pointed and demanded, “It’s their fault! They did this! They should be the ones to pay by giving up their car to Dixon and Anton.”
“Us?” Stephen looked shocked, his hand touching his chest as if he couldn’t believe my accusation. “My dear, I assure you that we had nothing to do with the loss of the Engaging team car.”
“Bullshit,” I snapped.
“There’s nothing I can do,” Roger said, spreading his hands wide. “I’m truly sorry, but they must have an appropriate car, and there is none to be had.”
“How long would it take to get the car flown in from China?” Melody asked, earning from me a look of approval.
“You see?” I said in an undertone, for Dixon’s ears only. “She’s not giving up on you any more than I am.”
“It’s not a matter of giving up,” he answered softly. “I’m only being realistic, Paulie. If I have no car, I can’t race.”
“That means you’d go home, and we...” I searched his eyes, hoping to see the same warm emotion that was growing in me every day we were together.
“Yes, I know.” His expression was as bleak as his eyes.
Roger replied to Melody’s question, “Too long, given how long their government stalled on giving us information about sending the cars to Beijing.”
“Dixon can ride with us,” I said, pointing at Melody. “You don’t mind, do you, Melody? Excellent. It’s all settled. Dixon can join our team, and Anton... Anton can go with the Esses.” I would have been perfectly happy to leave Anton behind, but I had grudgingly decided that, until I had proof he was working for my father, I’d give him the benefit of the doubt.
Although I still kept my eye on him. Right now he looked placidly undisturbed, as if this had nothing to do with him.
“He can’t do that,” Roger said, shaking his head at Dixon. “Your car is a suffragettes’ car. He is not a suffragette.”
“No, but thereweremen supporters,” Melody said quickly.
“That’s right—I read about them just before I flew to New York.” I nodded my continued approval of Melody’s thought processes. “The husbands of a lot of the suffragettes also supported the cause.”
“He is not a husband of a suffragette—” Roger stopped dead in the middle of his sentence, his eyes widening and his mouth forming a little O.
“Oooh,” Tessa said on a long breath, and looked at Max. He looked confused. She elbowed him. “Your Grace.”
“What? Oh.” Max’s eyebrows rose. “That might do it.”
“What? What would do what?” I asked.
“Excellent idea,” Melody said, smiling at Roger.
“What is?” Dixon asked, his brow furrowed.
“You know we did a reality show for Roger, right?” Tessa asked, tapping Max on the chest. “Max and I? Heplayed a Victorian duke—who really was one of Max’s ancestors—and I was his American wife. The show was a huge hit, and viewers ate us up with a spoon and asked for seconds. So if Dixon...”
She let the sentence trail off, looking expectantly at both Melody and me.
