“He’s still the heir, whether anyone likes it or not. He’ll get the money, the title and the estate. It’s up to him what he does with it.”

He stood up, taking my hand. “Come on. Let’s go for a stroll before it gets dark. Somewhere a little more private.”

And we went to explore the interesting scenery of the glen. As to what went on there—modesty forbids a description. But let me just say that it was worth the months of waiting.

* * *

MY LOST EVENING slipper had still not arrived from London. I had now written to Belinda asking her to collect it from Mrs. Tombs, but I wasn’t hopeful. So I came down to dinner in my town shoes again, knowing that nobody would be paying any attention to me. They would all be looking at Jack. When I arrived in the antechamber, the three elderly sisters and Irene were already present and knocking back the sherry. Cedric and his cronies strolled in soon after me.

“God, I could do with a cocktail,” one of them said. “Ceddy, you’ll have to install a proper bartender for us. We simply cannot exist on sherry.”

“If you’d learn to make the bally things yourself, I could hire you as my bartender, Julian,” Cedric said. “Perhaps I could train Marcel. He’s such a bright young lad. I’m sure he’d pick it up quickly.”

“I’m sure he’d pick anything up quickly,” I heard one of the Starlings mutter to another as they came to stand close to me. I don’t think Cedric overheard.

Anyway, this topic of conversation was broken off by the arrival of Darcy and Jack, both wearing proper dinner jackets and both looking rather handsome. Jack’s red-blonde hair had been slicked into submission, and he looked highly uncomfortable in his new attire.

“Here they are at last,” Edwina said. “Come and meet your aunt and your great-aunts, John.” It was clear that Edwina was not going to give up calling him by her son’s name.

Irene glowered. Princess Charlotte held out her hand in regal fashion but Virginia almost fell upon Darcy and Jack. “Two divine young men,” she said. “What fun! If I’d been a few years younger, I’d have given you both the key to my room and had you both at the same time.”

Edwina raised her lorgnette. “Really, Virginia, you go too far,” she said.

“Edwina. You’re such a prude.” Virginia grinned at her sister’s face. “Look at this gorgeous, dark-haired boy. He wouldn’t mind a roll in the hay, I can tell. One can see that he’s had his share of thrilling encounters with the opposite sex.”

Darcy simply looked amused. “If I had, I wouldn’t mention them in present company,” he said.

Virginia had seized his hand in her own claw-like ones. “Isn’t he a gem?” she said. “So is this the new heir?”

“No, Virginia. He is Mr. O’Mara—the one who escorted John from Australia.” She went over to Jack, who was standing as if he wished the floor would open and swallow him. “This is your great-nephew John. Isn’t he like his father?”