‘I must find Caroline Fitzgerald. Anyway, congratulations to you both – and of course, Gareth.’ There was a braying laugh and all eyes turned towards the bar. Gareth had emptied an ice bucket over his head.

As Maddy hurried away, she heard Mitchell D’Arcy saying, ‘That’s a seriously expensive outfit Marnie’s wearing, Di, poppet. Don’t you think you might be over-salarying your domestics?’

She met Caroline on the lawn just as the horses skittered down the course for the fourth race.

‘Hello.’ Caroline smiled her pussycat smile. ‘Oh, is that Drew’s buttonhole?’

‘I asked for it … as it’s in the Pedersen colours. For Suzy.’

‘Oh, I see.’ Caroline’s face showed no hint of doubt. ‘Actually, I want to go home. I’ve had enough. I think they should end this as soon as The Derby’s over. It’s all such an anti-climax, and it’s ruined my plans for this evening.’

‘Oh?’ Maddy felt a surge of hope.

‘I had no idea that so many people would be staying over for the rest of the meeting … Or that they’d have so many prior invitations to attend functions.’

Maddy, nodded. ‘Well, you couldn’t be expected to know all the horsy protocol. No one really does, except the chosen few. Sometimes it gets horribly cliquey. Does this mean you’ll cancel for tonight?’

‘Oh, no. I never actually cook myself, but I’ve already ordered the food from a catering service in Oxford. Diana James-Jordan recommended them to me. So it’ll still go ahead. I’ll just have to revise my guest list.’ She looked interested for a second. ‘Do you have anyone you want to bring? A partner?’

Maddy shook her head.

‘That’s good.’ Caroline looked suspiciously pleased. ‘Because I’ve got an extra man. Maybe I can play Cupid.’

And maybe you bloody can’t, Maddy thought angrily. ‘And who is this extra man? Someone I know?’

‘Yes.’ Caroline’s laugh was tinkly. ‘That gorgeous young man that Drew has engaged to ride his National Hunt horses.’

Charlie Somerset! Bloody hell!

‘Oh, nice,’ Maddy said bleakly. ‘And you’ve invited my parents and the Pughs, who will obviously come. And Kit and Rosa Pedersen are staying with you anyway.’ This was getting worse and worse. ‘Anyone else?’

Caroline screwed her eyes up and winced against the noise as the fourth race finished with Frankie Dettori three lengths clear. ‘All the trainers seemed to have cried off with prior engagements. But I have invited Peter and Stacey.’

‘What on earth for?’ Maddy didn’t have time to be polite. ‘Drew doesn’t like them, and they’re on the opposite side to everyone else regarding the golf course. Bronwyn will throw a fit.’

‘I’m sure she won’t,’ Caroline said placidly. ‘The golf course thing seems to have been amicably settled. And Drew doesn’t mind Peter, does he? I thought he quite liked him really.’