‘Good. Because they can. They will. You just have to believe in yourself.’

Charlotte flung her arms around Lou’s neck. ‘I know this will sound perfectly silly since you’ve been here less than a week. But, truly, I love you as though you were my own sister.’ She kissed Lou on the cheek.

‘If I ever had a sister, I’d want her to be exactly like you,’ Lou said. ‘Now, come on, let’s get you to the party.’

As they made their way down the corridor, Charlotte picked up her pace, dragging Lou with her.

Lou freed her hand. ‘You go ahead. I’ll catch up.’

‘If you insist, but don’t be long. The bubbles in the champagne will pop, and there’s nothing more upsetting than flat champagne.’

Charlotte ran towards the landing, the long sash of her pink dress trailing behind her. By contrast, Lou took her time, running her hand along the wooden banisters. She approached the landing and a bubble of voices and music floated up from the hall below. Down there, amongst friends and extended family, was every member of the Mandeville and Caxton clan. Lou gripped the banisters. As she backed away from the top of the stairs, the hidden door on the landing opened. A face appeared, looking furtively around.

‘Oh, m’lady,’ Mary said. ‘I was hoping to find you still up here.’ She beckoned and Lou was only too happy to join her behind the door in the cramped space midway up the twisting flight of stone steps. Mary leant over the handrail, looking first up, then down. ‘Monsieur Gotti will skin me alive if he realises I’m missing,’ she whispered. ‘But I had to come and tell you something right away.’

‘I don’t want you to get into trouble on my account.’

Mary pressed her finger to her lips. ‘Noise travels down these stairs, m’lady.’ She leant against the wall. Lou joined her, the wall cold against her bare arm. ‘You remember I told you about Bertha, the maid from Caxton Hall who’s sharing my room?’ Mary said quietly.

Lou nodded.

‘Well, last night, I asked if she knew anything about why Mr Caxton might not like the Mandevilles. She went quiet, all of a sudden like and said she knew nothing and then …’

Mary peered over the handrail again. ‘Then, this morning, when I was peeling potatoes, she asked me to come and help her with something in the larder. Only she didn’t want help, she was bursting to tell me something she did know after all. It seems Bertha’s uncle was the under butler at Caxton Hall when Mr Caxton was still a boy – still Master George – and there was an incident. Bertha’s uncle said that Miss Emma had a kitten that she adored, but which Master George didn’t care for. When he thought nobody was watching, he’d poke it with a stick and pull its whiskers. This incident happened when Captain Mandeville – Master Thomas, as he was then – was staying at Caxton Hall for a few days on his holiday from school. Apparently, Master George used to follow Master Thomas everywhere, like a shadow, showing off. Always desperate to impress his older cousin, he was.’