Chapter 44

Adele stares at the ring for a moment, unblinking, before fury washes over her features. Her expression changes completely, her perfect features made ugly by rage. As she flushes red, then white, her complexion turns that odd shade of a woman wearing make-up the wrong shade for her skin colour.

"Is that from him?" she hisses. "Did he give you that?"

Nervous now at this further abrupt switch of tone, I babble a little. "Well, yes. We're engaged. It's not been made public yet. In fact, we were going to announce it tonight." Beginning to feel afraid, I want to go. Standing, I say "It's been nice to meet you, Adele, to finally have a chat. But I need to be going. I've got things to do."

Quickly I stand to leave, then become aware that Adele is looking at someone over my shoulder. Turning, I find a man, no, two men, standing close to me. Too close.

One has something in a pocket, pointing at me. A knife? A gun?

"Don't argue Elizabeth," says Adele sweetly. "Just go with these gentle