Now she has Ogden’s full attention. Her hand creeps upward, lightly grazing the waistband of his trousers, her eyes wide and unblinking, lips parted.
“I know you will,” Ogden whispers, leering down at her. “Because I’m the one with the—”
He reaches for his pocket. His eyes widen.
Cora rocks back onto her heels.
“With thewhat?” She smirks. “Don’t suppose you’re looking forthis?”
She rises from the ground and points the derringer pistol she’s just pilfered right at him.
“I... How?” Ogden sputters.
Cora shrugs. “A bit of misdirection. The simplest of all magic tricks. Must say, you’re extremely easily distracted.”
Alice’s pulse lurches back to life.
“Down on your knees,” she orders. Ogden ignores her.
Cora cocks the gun.
Ogden obliges, hands raised.
He turns to Cal in appeal. “St-stop them! Do something, man!”
“I am doing something.” Cal smiles coldly. “Apprehending a loathsome criminal. Hands behind your back now.”
It only takes a matter of minutes for Cal to bind Ogden’s arms and legs and tie him to a sturdy plumbing pole in the corner of the embassy toilet.
“You vermin! You low-class swine,” Ogden seethes. “You’ll hang for what you’ve done unless I get to you first. I will rip—”
They use the rest of the flag as a gag, tied fast round his head.
“Don’t worry, we’re not complete monsters,” Alice calls back from the doorway, using her own flat American accent at long last. “We’ll send a message to your wife on our way out of town. We’ll let dear Priscilla know exactly where you are and every little detail of what’s happened to you. And to your money. It’ll be up to her to decide whether to come collect you or not. Seems just, no?”
They leave him moaning mutedly in the water closet as they hurry at last out the embassy door.
Before they step into the carriage, Cora murmurs, “Alice? Are you—”
Without a moment of hesitation, Alice turns to her friend and embraces her tightly, gratefully. Cora laughs, surprised.
“I’m absolutely golden, thanks to you. You were brilliant, Cora.Arebrilliant.”
“How do you know it wasn’t my plan?” Cal puts in.
Alice and Cora look at each other and burst out laughing.
“It’s notthatludicrous a suggestion,” he protests, holding the carriage door open for them.
“You truly are a fool,” Cora teases as she accepts his hand up.
“Only for you, darling,” he answers.
She swats him at that—and then, so fleetingly Alice almost misses it, leans in to press her lips to his cheek.
Not much of a kiss, but it’s enough for Cal to look positively gobsmacked.
Alice has to clear her throat to get him to help her up.
