Maddy shot Drew a frantic glance. Kimberley didn’t seem to have noticed and carried on blithely. ‘We were talking about clothes for Epsom. Quite girlie talk for Suzy.’ She smiled wistfully. ‘I believe she is really in love with young Luke Delaney. Anyway, I was telling her that as I haven’t got any runners because of the damn virus, I shall be going with Barty, and I’ve bought myself a frock and a hat. She tells me that you’ve got a simply stunning new outfit, Maddy dear, but you haven’t got a hat. I wondered if I could help?’

‘Oh, I never wear hats,’ Maddy said quickly. Kimberley’s hats were dung-coloured felt trilbies or upside-down flower pots in shiny straw. ‘I haven’t got the right sort of head.’ Drew and Kimberley looked at her in joint non-comprehension. She shrugged. ‘With all this hair, and I’ve got such a round face. I’m not a hat person.’

‘Nonsense.’ Kimberley noisily drained her gin. ‘A gal simply must wear a hat for The Derby, mustn’t she, Drew?’

‘Oh, absolutely.’ Drew was chuckling. Maddy threw him a murderous glance. ‘I’m sure Maddy would love your hat.’

‘It probably wouldn’t go with the outfit,’ Maddy began.

‘Ah, that’s where you’re wrong.’ Kimberley beamed. ‘Suzy says that your frock is green. I’ve got this simply stunning hat in green. Belonged to my mother. She always defied convention and wore it racing in Ireland. Green’s not considered unlucky over there, of course. I’ll pop it round tomorrow, shall I?’

‘Lovely,’ Maddy said weakly. ‘It’s very kind of you.’

‘No problem at all.’ Kimberley waved at Barty and indicated her empty glass. ‘It’d be lovely to see it put to use again. I’ll be round in the morning, then.’

Maddy watched her weave her way towards Barty and decided to kill Suzy all over again. Firstly for nosing in her wardrobe, and secondly for telling Kimberley. Kimberley’s mother – the one with the lovers, the creditors, and the very dubious herbal remedies – had probably had the hat in the twenties. It was bound to be a cloche.

‘You’ll look lovely,’ Drew spluttered into his drink. ‘She’s very kind, isn’t she?’

‘Very. But I won’t bloody wear it.’

‘Oh, but you’ll have to. You can’t hurt her feelings. And this green frock – it’s not the one you wore to your dinner party? Because if it is I definitely won’t be able to keep my hands off you.’

‘I’ll wear it, then.’ Maddy was still feeling irritable. ‘Actually, no. It’s the one I bought when Caroline and I went to London.’