At the earl’s house, the butler took his hat, coat and stick and informed him that Lord and Lady Hadshire would see him in the drawing-room. Harry mounted the stairs behind the butler thinking the earl must really have some major problem or he would have received him in his study.

‘Come in, come in,’ cried the earl. ‘Sit by the fire. Sherry? Yes? Fetch the decanter, Brum. You been shooting, Cathcart?’ He surveyed Harry’s tweed coat, knickerbockers, thick socks and brogues.

‘No, I do realize I am unfashionably dressed but my attire is suitable for the cold and I gather you want to see me on business.’

‘Yes, wait until we get the sherry and I get rid of the servants.’

‘Where is Lady Rose?’

‘In her room,’ said the earl gloomily, ‘and let’s hope she stays there.’

Daisy turned away from the window as Rose entered her private sitting-room. ‘I just saw Captain Cathcart a few minutes ago coming into the house.’

‘What on earth is he doing here? Oh, no! Pa’s probably asking his help. But what can Cathcart do?’

‘Get a tame doctor to say you’re mad,’ said Daisy. ‘Then you’ll be put in a lunatic asylum and I’ll be sacked.’

‘They wouldn’t do that,’ said Rose with a nervous laugh.

‘It would solve their problem. If you then said anything about that plot to stop the king visiting, no one would pay you any attention.’

‘If they do that, I will run away.’

‘We could do that anyway, my lady.’

‘No, they would put advertisements in all the newspapers and I would be hunted down. Oh, what on earth are they talking about?’

‘It’s all very simple,’ said Harry when the earl had finished.

‘How?’ The earl goggled. ‘I’m not having her put in an insane asylum. I know that’s the thing, but she’d never get married and I want grandchildren. A boy. Who’s going to inherit, hey?’

‘I am sure Lady Rose would be competent to run your estates.’

‘A woman? Never!’

‘Very well. What I suggest is this. I have a friend, Mr Peter Drevey, a merchant banker. I can persuade him to employ both Lady Rose and Daisy as typists. You will have to pay him a fee to cover wages for both, and for his discretion.’

‘If the fellow’s a gentleman, he won’t want to be paid.’