‘So? I must sit down. I’m getting a sore neck with you looming over me. Let’s go into the morning-room.’

Harry followed him up the stairs and into a room off the first landing. It was decorated in gold: gold-embossed paper on the wall, gold silk furniture, gold carpet.

There was a fire crackling in the grate. ‘Sit down,’ ordered Alfred with a wave of one long white hand.

They both sat down opposite each other.

‘I was asking you why you gave Freddy ten thousand pounds. I’m acting on behalf of his family,’ lied Harry.

‘Let me think.’ Alfred placed the tip of one finger against his brow, rather in the manner of the Dodo in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. ‘Ah, yes, he was on his uppers. Begged a loan to pay off his gambling debts.’

‘Do you have an IOU?’

‘Of course not. Gentleman’s agreement. You wouldn’t understand.’ His voice held the hint of a sneer.

‘No, I don’t,’ said Harry bluntly. ‘It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of anyone in society lending that amount of money without first securing a note.’

‘Really? I have heard you don’t get about so much in the world these days.’ The ‘world’ to Alfred meant the world of society. After all, for him, no other world existed.

‘He wasn’t blackmailing you, was he?’

Lord Alfred rang the bell beside the fireplace and stood up. ‘You are leaving now. Don’t ever come here again with your nasty remarks. Ah, Gerhardt, show this person out.’

The manservant, a powerfully built man, advanced on Harry.

‘I’m leaving,’ said Harry, ‘but you will be hearing from me again.’

Alfred sank back in his chair. ‘Go away,’ he said. ‘Never come near me again.’

Rose lay in a scented bath and wondered what to do about Daisy. Because they had been equals when they were working, the fact that Daisy was once more her servant made Rose feel uncomfortable. She had put herself down to Daisy’s level. Perhaps there would be some way to bring Daisy up nearer her own.

After the maids had dried her, Rose dismissed them. She decided to dress herself, but realized that she would need help with her stays and rang the bell.

‘Sorry, my lady,’ said Daisy, looking flustered. ‘I should have been with you earlier.’

‘Help me with my stays, Daisy. The problem is that I can no longer look on you as a servant.’

‘Do you want to get rid of me?’ asked Daisy in a small voice.

‘After all we have been through together! Of course not. What am I to wear?’

Daisy glanced at the clock. ‘The tea-gown with the lace panels, I think. It’s still quite cold, so you’d better take your Paisley shawl.’