Janos smiled. ‘It’s a fair exchange! And happily Laszlo actually remembered to give you the necklace.’ He frowned. ‘I wasn’t entirely sure he would. He can be a little forgetful.’
‘Jakob’s not forgetful!’ Laszlo slid between his grandfather and Prudence. ‘What are you talking about, Papi? He’s got an excellent memory. Or were you casting aspersions on me?’ He smiled mischievously at Janos, who shook his head and began to speak in Hungarian.
For a long moment Laszlo said nothing. His expression didn’t change, but something in his gaze seemed to reach out to her—she could almost feel his hands on her skin, even though they were standing apart.
Finally both men nodded and then, his face softening, Laszlo held out his hand. ‘Dance with me?’
Prudence felt the air squeeze from her lungs and for a moment time seemed to stop—and then slowly she smiled.
The rest of the party passed with unconscionable speed. Later, Prudence would try to piece the evening together. She had danced and eaten, and talked until her voice was hoarse from trying to compete with the music. And then finally the music had slowed and the lights had dimmed and Laszlo had held her tightly against him. They’d danced until suddenly Janos had been there, telling them that he was tired and was going to go home to bed.
‘I’ll walk you home, Papi. I could do with some fresh air,’ Laszlo said, pulling his dinner jacket from the back of a chair. He turned to Prudence, his eyes locking onto hers. ‘Shall I come back for you?’ he asked quietly.
She shook her head. ‘No. I’ll come now.’
Smiling, he slipped his
jacket over her shoulders, and together the three of them walked up to the castle.
Inside the hall, Janos turned and frowned.
‘Are you all right, Papi?’ Laszlo stared at his grandfather.
‘Oh, I’m fine. The fresh air’s just woken me up.’ Janos hesitated. ‘I wonder... Do either of you feel up to a nightcap?’
Glancing at one another, they both nodded simultaneously.
Janos beamed. ‘Wonderful. Let’s go and warm up.’
In the study, a fire was flickering in the grate. Laszlo leant over and banged the glowing logs with a poker, and flames leapt up as though defending themselves.
‘Sit down by the fire, Papi. Prudence—come here,’ he ordered.
Janos sat down and glanced apologetically around the room. ‘I’m afraid I may have been a little disingenuous.’ He smoothed an imaginary crease from his trouser leg. ‘You see, I have something I want to discuss with you both. I was going to wait until tomorrow...’ Lifting his head, he frowned. ‘But it’s been playing on my mind.’
Prudence looked down at her hands in her lap, feeling Laszlo’s gaze on the side of her face.
‘So? What is it, Papi?’
Janos paused. He looked alert and animated, the vigour in his eyes belying his age. ‘I’m thinking about making some changes. And I’d be quite interested in hearing what you think.’
Laszlo raised his eyebrows. ‘Not the moat again, Papi?’ he said slowly.
Janos shook his head and gave a reluctant smile. ‘No. Not the moat. Although it does have something to do with the castle.’ Pausing, he glanced across at Prudence. ‘It was you, my dear girl, who gave me the idea.’
Prudence gaped at him. ‘I did?’ she said incredulously.
There was a moment’s silence, and then Laszlo cleared his throat. ‘So. Don’t keep us in suspense, then, Papi. What’s the big idea?’
Smiling, Janos shook his head. ‘You’re just like your mother. Always so impatient.’ He looked up at his grandson, his expression tender and hopeful. ‘All my life I’ve been surrounded by beauty. Now I’d like to share my good fortune with other people.’ He paused again, his eyes bright, almost feverish with excitement. ‘And that’s why I want to turn the castle into a museum.’
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THERE WAS A stunned silence in the room. Finally Laszlo shook his head. ‘I’m sorry. Did you just say you wanted to turn the castle into a museum?’ He gave his grandfather a long, searching look. ‘Why on earth would you want to do that?’
Janos raised his hands placatingly. ‘To give something back, Laszlo.’
Laszlo frowned. ‘You do give something back. Quite a lot of “something”, if that last meeting we had with the accountants is anything to go by.’