Selena saw at once that her friend was not well. “Why, Philomena, what is the matter? You are ill. Come and sit, and I will make you a salt pack. Our nurse used to give it to Hugh and myself whenever we had the headache. Not that Hugh ever had the headache, I remember, but he often had cuts and bruises and once he broke an arm when he climbed the old oak tree and fell out of the top branch. Mama was sure he was dead, but Hugh was up again next day and riding his pony.”

Chattering happily, Selena bustled about. “I have given my maid Alice the slip and come in a carriage by myself. I told Mama I was to be with Lucy. Lucy will keep my secret so long as no one asks her anything about it, for she is exceptionally stupid, as you must see. Still, she is a good friend, even if she does talk about Hugh all the time, and we can all see that he has no interest in her at all.”

Philomena roused herself enough to nod and smile.

“As for Hugh—” Selena sat to watch Philomena sip from a cup of water. “Are you feeling better?” she asked, interrupting herself. Philomena nodded and held the linen bag of ice and salt against her brow.

“Now, what was I saying? Oh, yes, Hugh. He is so disagreeable now. Why, I thought he was bad-tempered enough before, but that was as nothing. Since he came back to the Hall the day after you left, he has been like a bear with a sore head.”

Selena stopped a moment and giggled. “I saw a bear dancing in the Park the other day. I wonder if he had a sore head.”

A glance at Philomena showed her that her friend was in no mood for jokes. “Yes. Hugh is so unkind about you. You know, I did think that he liked you when you were with us at Christmas. Sometimes, he even became civil to me and to Mama, but after you left, he talked of nothing but lies and false addresses and how you must be no better than a thief.”

Heedless of the pain her gossip caused, Selena prattled cheerfully, turning the knife in Philomena’s heart. It was hard not to cry out with the pain. Could Hugh hate her so? He had not seemed to, in Hyde Park. He had started forward with such enthusiasm. It might mean nothing. Perhaps Hugh had been shocked rather than pleased to see Philomena.