‘Forgets,’ Charlotte laughed. ‘Yes, he does forget his way home when he has spent all afternoon in the public bar of The White Lion Inn.’

‘Charlotte!’

‘Sorry, Mama.’

Two footmen, one of whom Lou recognised as William from earlier, served them a starter of melon formed into perfect spheres. An older man hovered around the table. Dressed in a black suit with a bow tie at his neck, he had a horseshoe of perfectly white hair. He was small and rather wiry, but what he lacked in stature, he more than made up for in the force of his presence. From the way he wordlessly directed the footmen with a series of nods and hand gestures, Lou guessed that he was Bainbridge, the butler. He surveyed the room constantly, and when a ball of melon slipped from Charlotte’s plate, all it took was a nod to send the second footman forward to scoop it up. When William removed Lou’s plate, she had to stop herself from thanking him, reminding herself that it wasn’t the done thing. She should treat him as though he was invisible, even if she had spoken to him just a few hours earlier.

‘I am told that the help has arrived from Caxton Hall today,’ Lady Mandeville said, as William offered her a plate of carved chicken. With a silver serving fork and spoon, she served herself a small portion. ‘Were it not for the generosity of my husband’s cousin with his staff, I am certain I should not be able to cope with all I have to do for the shoot and the Christmas Ball. Are you acquainted with Lord and Lady Caxton, Miss Arnold?’

‘I’m afraid not,’ Lou said. She could hardly say that she had traipsed around the bedrooms and kitchens at Caxton Hall and eaten a cream tea in what had once been their buttery. Copying Lady Mandeville, she took a small sliver of chicken from the plate William offered and helped herself to a scoop of vegetables from the tray offered by the second footman.

‘I had not expected so many guests to accept my invitation,’ Lady Mandeville said. ‘It is sure to be our largest Christmas Ball yet.’

Charlotte grinned and leant in to Lou. ‘Mama has invited everyone we know, and many that we don’t! She hopes to have good news to announce and wants an audience. Although I’m not sure that my brother, Tom, is aware yet that he is to be the stuffed goose of Mama’s festivities.’

‘Charlotte!’ her mother chided her, but she could hardly contain a smile. ‘Is it not my duty as a mother to present my children with opportunities? Even if I cannot second-guess what any of you will do. In my day, children were obedient; they did their parents’ bidding. I really do not know what has become of this generation. I am sure –’

The door flew open, and a young man staggered in. ‘Good evening family,’ he slurred, waving his arms before he fell against the wall. ‘What a pleasure and a delight it is to see you all.’