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Corinna was determined not to be deflected from pursuing the hare that had suddenly been flushed out of the undergrowth. ‘Ferdy! Your cheeks are pink. I’ve never seen you so. Who is Miss Rose, is she very pretty?’

Ferdy attempted to sound nonchalant, but his words suddenly came out in a rush of feeling. ‘The world would think not, but the more I see of her, the more attractive she becomes. It’s her eyes, I think.’

‘You’re in love! It’s clear as the day.’

Both his friends’ gazes were on his face as it coloured again. ‘No, I’m not. I have no intention of being in love, I cannot allow such ungovernable emotion to disrupt my life. Love ruins everything.’

Alick had got to his feet and put an arm on his friend’s shoulder. ‘I’m afraid, old boy, the heart does not listen to reason. With a coup de foudre, rational intention flies out of the window.’

It was now Ferdy’s turn to leap up. ‘Nonsense! I resist such inconsequent emotion. I cannot become prey to whims and selfish desires and, of course, will honour my word and marry Miss Payton.’

Corinna said in more soothing tones, ‘When can we meet her? To rush into something as binding as a betrothal makes her very special indeed.’

‘Now that Flambard has moved out of my house and into Albany, I’m less constrained. Living with him had its moments, but he arrived with a Pandora’s box of trouble. I’m much relieved to have him gone.’

‘What do you mean?’ Corinna looked worried. ‘I would have thought you have troubles enough already.’

‘I haven’t told you this particular complication. Having killed Captain Payton in that duel all those years ago, Max Flambard remained in contact with his lady love. On his return from exile, the flaunting swashbuckler has now picked up his affair with the Captain’s widow. Alarmingly, she just happens to be my future mother-in-law, Miss Payton’s own mother.’

Alick turned away, stifling a hoot of laughter, and even Corinna’s usually serene expression battled with astonished merriment. Regaining composure, she recognised the discomfort and peril of the situation and enquired in an unsteady voice, ‘Oh Ferdy, no! What does Miss Payton think about this?’

With a despondent expression, Ferdy answered, ‘She doesn’t know. She thinks the man courting her mother is Lord Whiley; he’s using his other title, Baron Whiley.’

Corinna’s eyebrows snapped together in a frown. This threatened very serious repercussions indeed. ‘And you’re in on this deception?’

‘That is the shameful thing. How could I not be? The reckless philanderer was staying under my roof. He’s one of my oldest friends, how could I deny or betray him?’

‘Oh Ferdy, Ferdy!’ Corinna’s head had dropped to her hands. ‘I’m afraid Miss Payton is your betrothed. She will not see this as your upholding the manly fealty between friends, and instead will consider it as a fundamental betrayal of herself. As a woman who is about to marry you, she will, rightly to my mind, expect you to choose loyalty to her over any other relationship.’

Alick felt moved to stand up for his friend. ‘But Corinna, that’s because you’re a woman and do not understand the masculine code of honour. Our loyalties are cast-iron, forged on the brutal playing fields of Eton and in the cauldron of war. Nothing overtops that.’

She gave him a sceptical look that came close to rolling her eyes.

Ferdy was keen to reassure his friends of his noble intentions, nevertheless. ‘You must know I will treat Miss Payton with every respect and dignity due to her. I could not, and will not, renege on our betrothal. It is impossible that I could descend to such ignominy as to go back on my word or humiliate her in withdrawing my offer.’

‘That sounds as if your heart already wishes to be free of this obligation?’ Corinna said softly.

‘No! Of course not! The heart has nothing to do with it. It is honour alone that matters!’ Ferdy swung round as if to leave.

Alick put out a hand to stay him. ‘Ferdy! You’ve come for dinner. Please remain. Corinna and I promise not to bring up your marriage or the foundling Billy or the mysterious Miss Rose for the remainder of the evening. You will only hear about my farming plans for our estate and the prodigies that are our two small children.’

* * *

Madeleine longed to be able to discuss this extraordinary reversal in her fortunes which she knew was a harbinger of further trouble. At a momentous time like this, she realised how alone she was in the world. Only Mr Shilton would understand, but she could hardly treat him as quite such an intimate friend. She did have an open invitation to his house to visit Billy, and nothing lifted the spirits more than Mrs Moffat’s warm kitchen where Mabel and the child seemed to spend much of their time. She determined to avoid the Lockhart family by missing breakfast and slipping out of the house in the company of Dot, via the garden and mews.

Away from her cousins’ suspicious scrutiny, Madeleine felt she could breathe more freely and her step lightened. It was a beautiful morning and she decided to walk through the eastern side of Grosvenor Square. The children were already running round the paths in the central garden and being rounded up by their nurses. Madeleine wondered if Billy would soon be joining their number. The little boy’s plight tugged at her heart. With her grandmother’s inheritance, she could at least make a difference to other children like him, perhaps even offer him a home? Protected by her own wealth, she would not have to guard her reputation quite so assiduously. She would not even have to marry.

The brisk wind blowing overnight from the west had swept away much of the smoky air, and in the effervescent light that followed a storm, the leaves on the trees were gilded and fluttering in ceaseless motion. Even the birdsong had become a cheerful cascade of sound. As she walked, Madeleine was cheered with the thought of how this legacy gave her a home and the chance to live almost as she chose. She could savour her unexpected good fortune as long as she ignored the dark cloud of duty that threatened the hope of freedom. Looming over her was the expectation that she would be honourable, as befitted her family’s rank, and respect natural justice by returning the Lockhart inheritance to the rightful heir – through marriage. But for a few hours at least she would try to concentrate on the unfamiliar pleasure of being a woman of substance.

Maltby opened the door and was almost smiling. Even his dour demeanour had been softened by having Billy in residence. All the servants treated the child like a household pet. Miss Payton complained he was more like a household god. ‘The master is riding in Hyde Park, but Master Billy is in the kitchen.’ Indeed, Madeleine could hear sounds of glee coming from the back of the house.

As she and Dot entered the room, the sweet cinnamon smell of warm apple cake met their nostrils. Billy was building a castle of wooden blocks on the floor and delighting in knocking them down.

‘Come in, Miss Rose and Dot.’ Mrs Moffat was at the scrubbed wooden table with a glistening cake in front of her. ‘This is fresh from the oven. Would you both like a piece?’

By the crumbs around his brick tower, it was evident Billy had already had his share. Just as Mabel whisked him up to clean his face, the kitchen door opened to more visitors. Mr Shilton entered with Alick and Corinna Wolfe, who seemed to be well-known to all the servants. Only Madeleine needed to be introduced. Corinna took her hand and Madeleine found herself gazing into serene green eyes in a lovely symmetrical face. Her husband was behind her and he extended his hand with a grip both capacious and warm.

‘We are very pleased to meet you,’ Mrs Wolfe said, her eyes intent and amused as she surveyed the scene.