‘Not. from Peter.’ Maddy could have bitten off her tongue. She sounded as though she was defending him. ‘I mean, he behaves like that with everybody. He thinks he’s irresistible.’

‘So I gathered.’

It was a pity that Drew hadn’t thrown his food at Peter for her sake. It was sad to realise that he would have done the same for anyone.

‘Thank you so much for mending the boiler. How much do I owe you?’

‘Nothing.’ Drew moved towards the back door. ‘I was pleased to be able to help. Once the horses arrive I probably won’t have that much time to be neighbourly. And I haven’t forgotten about your cleaning company, either. I telephoned Caroline this morning and she will definitely discuss it with you when she comes over.’

‘And will that be with the furniture?’ Maddy questioned artlessly. ‘Or with the horses? ’

Drew shrugged. ‘Caroline could just turn up this afternoon if the fancy took her. I hope it’ll be sooner rather than later.’

Damn! Maddy thought. He was missing her. ‘I’m looking forward to meeting her. The village can be a bit cliquey. I mean, I expect Diana will be all over her, but Kimberley Weston would be a better friend. Sometimes it’s handy to know these things.’

‘Naturally. And you don’t like Diana much, I take it?’

‘No … well, it’s difficult. I mean she’s always been very nice to me, like you would be to a stray dog or something, but I’m sure she thinks I am very unmaterialistic and naive. I was very much so, when I first came to Milton St John. Still, as I live in her cottage and work for her, I can’t really slag her off too much. It’s just…’

‘Yes?’

‘Oh, she’s got the current Derby favourite in her yard, as you probably know. Saratoga Sun. And my friend’s husband, Richard, is Diana’s stable jockey this season. He’s been a jockey for ages, but this is his first shot at the big time.’ Her voice rose indignantly. ‘He’s ridden Saratoga in all his previous races. Now the owner wants a different jockey, and Diana just jocked Richard off. She didn’t even try to persuade the owner to change his mind.’

‘Trainers are at the mercy of their owners,’ Drew echoed Barty’s words of the previous evening. ‘I doubt if there was anything Diana could do.’

‘She could have put her foot down. Said that Richard had been brilliant on the horse – which the owner knows – said that if Richard didn’t ride then she wouldn’t train Saratoga any more. It’s just because Richard isn’t particularly glamorous, and Newmarket’s golden boy is.’

‘Luke Delaney?’ Drew asked. ‘He’s ridden for me a few times. He’s good, as well as marketable. And no trainer is going to risk losing the Derby favourite at this stage of the season. I don’t see that Diana had any choice.’

‘Well, I do,’ Maddy insisted crossly. ‘But then I’m an outsider. You trainers are bound to stick together.’