She crossed the room to speak to Thalia, who disappeared into the back of the shop and returned with the black and red bonnet that the Earl remembered perfectly well. But he had discovered what he wished to know, the little milliner’s name was Thalia Carver!

It was only when she had been promoted to work in the front of the shop that Thalia had been called by her surname prefixed with ‘Miss’.

The work girls were all addressed by their Christian names, but because she was so popular and unlike the other assistants who gave themselves airs when there were no customers present, everyone from Mrs. Burton downwards still called her ‘Thalia’.

Lady Adelaide was delighted with the black and red bonnet and, after she had ordered it to be sent to her house and the Earl had told Mrs. Burton to send the bill to him, they left the shop.

He deliberately did not even glance in Thalia’s direction, but he was aware that she did not look at him, which for him was an unusual experience.

He thought now, as he drew up his horses outside the shabby door, that she could not help being impressed by his phaeton if not by him.

As the groom ran to the horses’ heads, he climbed down to wait with a feeling that surprisingly was nearly one of impatience.

It was a long time, he thought, since he had felt interested in a woman who was not already flirting with him over a supper table or contriving in the most obvious manner that they should be alone in the conservatory or the garden of a mansion where a ball was being held.

Last night the two beauties to whom the Princess had introduced him made it quite clear what they wanted and he had therefore found himself bored after a very short time in their company.

Some cynical part of his mind told him that the pursuit of the little milliner would be no different.

At the same time he could not help remembering that, when she had flounced away from him in Genevieve’s bedroom, she had certainly not shown any anxiety either to speak to him again let alone meet him.

‘I shall undoubtedly find that I have been over-optimistic in expecting her to be any different,’ he told himself, ‘although her hair is certainly an unexpected colour for someone of her class.’

The shop door opened and the Earl waited expectantly, but it was not Thalia who came out but a number of other women.

Most of them were middle-aged or elderly with the exception of two very young girls, who the Earl suspected were what was known as ‘matchers’ and occupied the lowest and least paid position at Mrs. Burton’s.