‘I suspect you’re quite bright enough,’ Tom said quietly.

‘You are a darling. And don’t worry, I’ve got enough native wit to handle Rosalind. Inherited from Daddy, no doubt. Oh Lord, he’ll be furious if I don’t even get to my first lesson. I don’t even know where the place is.’

Pansy fumbled in the soft Italian leather pouch bag that was slung over the back of her chair and brought out a list. ‘Ashmolean Museum?’

Oliver, who had been watching her with fascination, suddenly stood up. ‘I’m going over there. I’ll take you.’

Solicitously, just as he had done yesterday for Helen, he drew back her chair and helped her to her feet. Pansy put her hand on his arm, thoughtlessly accepting it as her right to be escorted and protected.

‘’Bye, then.’

‘Oliver …’ Helen had no idea what she wanted to ask him, but he half turned in response and she thought his face softened.

‘I’ll see you soon,’ he said. ‘At Follies.’

He was gone so quickly with Pansy that Helen found herself staring at the empty space where they had been.

I’ll see you soon. She would have to be content with that.

Opposite her Tom was staring blankly too. It was a moment before they faced each other and realised that they were alone.

‘Well.’ Tom was smiling crookedly. ‘Shall we finish the wine?’

Helen pushed her glass across to him. Instinctively, she liked Tom Hart and – more than that – he was Oliver’s friend. She could at least talk about him.

‘I’ve never met anyone like him before,’ she said softly.

‘Oliver? Neither have I. He’s got a lot of style, and I admire that. He doesn’t give a damn about anything either, and I don’t think that’s just because of who he is. Although that helps. Think of living in a place like Montcalm. Of coming from a family like that … holders of the highest offices in the realm for hundreds and hundreds of years.’

You’re impressed by that, Helen thought. Am I? Am I? Perhaps.

Tom was still talking. His dark eyebrows were drawn together over his high, beaked nose and his mouth, usually compressed in a sardonic line, curved wider as he looked into the distance.