‘You’re both wonderful,’ Drew laughed, straightening his cravat and grabbing Maddy’s hand. ‘Come on then, Ms Beckett. Let’s face the music …’

The food was delicious. Caroline accepted fulsome praise from those who didn’t know about the caterers without ruffling one immaculate hair. The seating curse was operating well. Maddy was between Charlie and Peter. At least she had her mythical stomach upset to explain away her loss of appetite. Not that it mattered: Charlie happily ate everything she left. Peter held himself away from her, and Stacey ignored her completely. However, the Pughs and Maddy’s parents, who were by now firm friends, kept the conversation flowing.

‘Syllabub, Maddy?’ Caroline offered pudding across the table. ‘Or will it be a bit too rich for you?’

‘I’ll try a little, thank you,’ she answered as Charlie nudged her. Living alone he very rarely got this sort of meal and didn’t want to see anything go to waste. ‘It looks scrumptious.’

‘Scrumptious?’ Stacey’s pencilled eyebrows drew together like two thin caterpillars. ‘What an old-fashioned word.’

‘It’s a nice word,’ Charlie said quickly. ‘But you probably wouldn’t know any of those.’

‘Was that meant to be insulting?’ Peter leaned across Maddy.

‘Not at all.’ Charlie grinned broadly, showing his crooked teeth. ‘It wasn’t meant to be anything. It was insulting.’

Drew was laughing quietly. So were Kit and Rosa. Caroline had missed the undercurrent.

The conversation centred naturally on The Derby, and Maddy, despite getting frantic nudges from Charlie, forgot that she was supposed to be ill and spooned up all of her syllabub.

‘We’d like to have a Derby runner next year,’ Kit said looking at Drew. ‘We’re hoping to buy one of Moon Dancer’s offspring and race him as a two-year-old. You’ll train him, of course?’

‘Try and stop me. I’ll need to have a flat jockey by then, too. A good one. I’ll have to cast around.’

‘What about Luke Delaney?’ Rosa asked.

‘He’ll never leave Emilio.’ Drew stood up and filled glasses, spending just too long at Maddy’s side. She wanted to stroke his long, pin-striped leg. ‘I’d like Suzy to ride for me as a casual, but I know she won’t leave John Hastings. I’ll have to give it some thought.’

Caroline served cheese and fruit and port – luckily not suggesting that the ladies should withdraw. It was all so calm and orderly and grown-up. ‘I do hope you enjoyed the wine tonight.’ She waited for the response, which was quick in coming. Everyone murmured enthusiastically. ‘Oh, good. It’s some of mine – and I’m certainly hoping that after today, I shall have captured a bigger chunk of the English dinner party market.’

‘You weren’t touting for business at The Derby?’ Drew looked appalled. ‘I asked you not to.’