‘I was just, er, discussing some village business with Mr Knightley.’ Diana indicated Peter. ‘Let me introduce you both. Mr Knightley lives in the Manor, and he’s involved in a business project that I’m backing.’

Peter and Mitchell D’Arcy were shaking hands. Maddy smiled sweetly at Diana. ‘As you’re so busy, our little talk can wait, Diana. No doubt I’ll see you again soon. Goodbye, Mr D’Arcy, Peter …’

Diana and Peter glared. Mitchell D’Arcy beamed. ‘Bye, then, Marnie. It was nice to meet you.’

Maddy was humming happily as she removed her bicycle from the stable block. It was a song from Suzy’s Michael Bolton tape. Maybe life wasn’t such a shit after all.

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Kimberley phoned to discuss the barbecue, Fran called round for coffee, Suzy drifted in and out of the cottage, but Maddy told no one about Peter and Diana. The loveless coupling had disturbed her deeply.

She had done her Tuesday stint at Diana’s only after serious deliberation. She had considered asking Jackie to take over, not wanting to face either Diana or Gareth, but luckily neither was at home.

‘Gone to Newmarket,’ Belinda, their secretary told her. ‘A spying trip to the Heath as far as I know. That unpronounceable horse of Henry Cecil’s is threatening to take some beating in The Derby according to the Sporting Life. I think they want to make sure that Saratoga is still number one.’

Without Drew to talk to, Maddy mooched aimlessly around the cottage, picking things up and putting them down, and spending ages just staring out of the window at Peapods. If Drew had been there she would have told him about the scene in Diana’s study. She would have made it funny for him and they would have laughed. It was the laughter she missed. The laughter and talking and the sharing. She sighed. Her happily rounded contentment had a huge chunk missing.

By Wednesday, the day of Kimberley’s barbecue, Drew still hadn’t returned home.

‘I’ll try to get everything arranged for tomorrow,’ he’d told her. ‘It’s just some delay in shipping the horse. I’ll be there if I can, you know that.’ He hadn’t said he’d missed her, and she hadn’t asked about Caroline.

‘Luke’s going to try and get here tonight for the barbie.’ Suzy danced around the hall in her knickers. ‘He’s riding in the last race at Lingfield – so’s Richard. He’s going to try and beg a lift in the helicopter.’

‘Richard’ll throw him out over the M25,’ Maddy grinned. ‘There must be a safer way for him to travel.’

‘He’ll never make it in time if he drives, though. It’s OK if he stays here tonight and goes back in the morning, isn’t it?’

‘Is he riding tomorrow?’