“Oh, nonsense.” Selena diverted onto a new track. “You are ridiculous, insisting on arriving everywhere on time. I declare, half the world laughs at such an insistence on punctuality.”

“More fool them. Now, are you about to explain, or shall we forget this conversation?”

“Oh no, for you will be so very pleased when you hear what I have to say. But you must not tell Mama, for perhaps she would not like it overmuch.” Hugh frowned and Selena hurried to finish. “I have visited Philomena. That is all I wanted to say.”

Hugh, the air knocked from his body, turned to the piano beneath the window. He leaned on the instrument for a moment, waiting for the jangle in his head to subside and his wild pulse to slow. Selena’s words seemed to echo through the room. She had seen Philomena. For a moment, Hugh could think of nothing else.

Selena continued, her tone peevish. “I thought you would be interested. After all, you liked Philomena as much as I, and so did John, for that matter. I thought you would be pleased to know where…” Her voice faded away at the sight of her brother’s face. Her eyes opened wide with shock.

Hugh fought to appear calm. Selena stared, her eyes slowly filling with tears. “Oh, poor Hugh.” Her voice was full of compassion. “I did not know. I mean, I thought Philomena was just John’s nursery maid.”

Hugh’s voice cracked. “Yes, that is true.”

Selena put her hand on his arm. “I should not have told you,” she said, half to herself. “I promised I would not, and I have broken my promise.”

“I saw her, you know,” Hugh said. “In Hyde Park. Philomena was there.”

Selena took one of his cold hands and stroked it. “My dear Hugh, what can I do? How can I help?”

He swallowed hard and forced a smile. “Tell me where she is, I beg you.”

“There’s something else.” Selena sounded nervous. “You see, she works as a dressmaker.”

Of course, she would be making a way in the world.

“I left my dresses with her to alter. I thought you would want me to.” Selena’s eyes were huge.

Hugh managed a smile. “Very well, I will not be angry with you. What happened?”

Selena grinned, relieved to see her brother recover some composure. “The dresses were delivered this morning, and when Alice and I took them out of the boxes—by the way, I shall be magnificent at our Ball. Philomena is so clever—but I am wandering from the point. When we took out the dresses, something else fell out of the box.” She reached into her reticule and drew out a small object. She handed it to him.