Over in the Pembroke household the mood was no lighter. Miranda had arrived the day before to spend a few days with her father and was not in the best of moods.

‘I might go over to Aunt Hermione’s and empty Ruby’s things out of her room before I go home,’ she said casually at lunch.

Oscar frowned at her. ‘And why would you want to do that?’ His voice was a little sharper than he had intended.

‘Well, after what she’s done . . . stealing the jewels, I mean, and clearing off without a word I should imagine Aunt Hermione won’t want anything of her left there.’ She smiled as she loaded her plate with sandwiches – because the staff were attending the street party, they were only having a light meal at lunchtime. ‘I really can’t understand why everyone is so shocked at what she’s done,’ she went on spitefully. ‘I saw her for what she was from day one. She was out to make money from the family but no one else could see it. It’s good riddance to bad rubbish as far as I’m concerned.’

Serena scraped her chair back from the table so quickly that it almost fell over and strode from the room with her eyes full of tears.

Furious, Oscar rounded on his daughter. ‘Did you have to be so thoughtless?’ he snapped. ‘You know how fond we all were of her.’

‘Huh! That was the trouble. She knew it and took full advantage of the fact,’ she snapped back. ‘From the day she arrived it was as if you didn’t have time for me,’ she accused with a pout.

‘I’ve never heard such nonsense in my life.’ Oscar was even more angry now. ‘And in future I’ll ask you to keep a civil tongue in your head in front of Serena.’

He had informed Miranda some time ago of his intention to wed Serena when his divorce from her mother was final and she hadn’t taken the news well at all. In truth, he had only told her because he didn’t want her to hear it from someone else, which she surely would have as they had also informed the staff of their intentions, who, unlike Miranda, were thrilled for them. Serena now joined him in the dining room for meals, much to Miranda’s disgust, although she still had her own rooms.

‘You are really going to marry a housekeeper?’ Miranda had said incredulously when he had first told her. ‘Why, we’ll be a laughing stock!’