He stopped speaking and stared into space, a reflective expression in his eyes. After a moment or two, he said slowly, ‘Could there be another man in Lucinda’s life? A man she meets in Zürich?’

‘Or in Geneva,’ Robert volunteered. ‘She’s sometimes there. I have to be kept informed of her whereabouts, because of the boys.’

‘Here’s my point. She can afford to do a lot of things, Robert. Everyone knows her father gave her a huge trust fund, and her brother Valentine as well. Money gives a woman a certain amount of freedom. Could there be another man?’

‘Yes, of course. Or another woman. Or more than one man, maybe different men at different times. How would I ever know, since she’s in Zürich, Geneva, or wherever? But I think she’s lost her looks. She has become faded, and tired-looking. She is moody, certainly with me. I don’t think a man would be interested in her sexually. She’s lost it.’

‘Except that she’s rich, and titled … the Lady Lucinda Lassiter, and perhaps ready to play around when she’s off her home base. And maybe she gets all dolled up.’

‘What you say is true, and it’s occurred to me, although I’ve never brought it up with you, my closest friend.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because marriages are private, and our sort don’t discuss their marital difficulties. Also, I have no feelings for her now. Since you were my best man, you’ll know I married her when I was twenty-nine. The boys were born within a couple of years. After that she lost interest in me and banned me from her bedroom. Eventually, I drifted totally apart from her. I’ll never understand what I did to offend her, if anything.’

‘I know you were always in London, and always with me. We’ve spent our lives together since we were eight, and I’ll tell you this … I don’t know how you’ve managed the way you have. You’re a healthy man of thirty-nine, and you need a woman in your life – for love, companionship, tenderness and sex. And you’re vulnerable at this moment in time. That is a certainty.’

‘I realize that, and I’m so glad we’ve kept our long friendship. However, what I’m trying to say is I suppose at one level I don’t care about Lucinda or what she does. However, I am beginning to see that she has become an impediment to my future, to my happiness.’

‘Then we have to remove her from your life,’ Adrian announced. ‘Get you a divorce.’

Robert frowned. Divorce was still scandalous: difficult, expensive and messy. ‘And how do you plan to do that, Adrian? I have no idea, believe me, I don’t. She’ll never agree. She likes being the Countess and she won’t want the scandal.’