Philomena asked after John. He remained in Hampshire, she heard, with the governess. “John does not like Miss Smith,” Selena said, “but Hugh said that is because he is not used to her and because she makes him work hard at his lessons. Hugh says John will soon be cheerful again. I must admit, Hugh often spends half the day with the child when he is at the Hall, just as he used to when you were there. Hugh will send for him to visit, soon.”

Philomena, claiming her headache had quite disappeared, steered the talk around to the fashions of the day. Selena need not know of the misery in her heart.

Selena clapped her hands in delight at the pretty workshop, thrilled to find her friend building a successful business. “I suppose we cannot meet quite as we used to, but I shall make sure all my friends come here for their gowns, so you may become as rich and famous as you deserve. That will be good, will it not?” She beamed.

“It will be wonderful.” Philomena hesitated. How best to ensure Selena was not forbidden to visit? “I expect you will not tell Hugh I am here, will you?” It was bad enough to hear of his anger. Philomena could not bear to lose Selena as well.

Selena pouted a little, but agreed. “I will like to have a secret from Hugh, for he is so cross. He has taken such a loathing for Arthur Muldrow, you know, our neighbour, and I have no idea why, since he was fond of Mr. Muldrow’s father and never cared whether or not his money all came from trade. I am afraid Hugh has grown very old and boring, these days. I do not like it at all, if you want the truth.”

Selena blushed prettily when she mentioned Mr. Muldrow. Philomena wondered why Hugh held such dislike for the man. Should she warn Selena against making a liaison with someone her brother detested? No, she did not dare. She did not want to lose Selena’s goodwill so soon after meeting her again. “Your brother is a man and sees things rather differently from women.”

Philomena bit her tongue, annoyed to hear herself excusing Hugh’s behaviour on the grounds of sex. How differently, indeed, how tartly she would have spoken, had she been talking with him in the nursery.