“This is our home now, Binky. Your sister has been off for months, God knows where, making her own life—as well she should, since she’s no longer your responsibility.” A heavy sigh followed. “Well, go downstairs and entertain her and I suppose I’ll have to get up. I was looking forward to a long lie-in with Country Life this morning too.”

I tiptoed through to the dining room as Binky came down the stairs again.

“Fig will join us in a minute,” he said, managing a bright smile. “Slept in late today, don’t you know. But do go ahead and tuck in. I’m sure it’s all still hot.”

I did as I was told and sat down with a plate piled with kedgeree, kidneys, scrambled egg and bacon. It was a feast such as I hadn’t had in a while and it made me wonder whether Fig’s legacy had been big enough to have improved their standard of living. When I had last been at home at Castle Rannoch, Fig’s catering had been decidedly on the mean side, to the point of replacing the Cooper’s Oxford marmalade with Golden Shred.

Coffee was brought and I had almost cleaned my plate when I heard footsteps tapping down the hall and Fig came in. “Georgiana,” she said in a clipped voice, “what a surprise. How lovely to see you.” She looked older than when I had seen her last and permanent frown lines were beginning to show on her forehead. She’d never been a beauty but had once had that healthy if horsey look of country women, with a perfect complexion. Now she looked decidedly pasty faced and I felt renewed pity for Binky that he was stuck with someone like this for the rest of his life. If things went as planned I would have Darcy to look at across the breakfast table every morning—a far more desirable prospect.

Fig poured herself a cup of coffee then sat down across the table from me. “We didn’t even know you were in town or we would have had you over for a meal. In fact we had no idea where you were, had we, Binky? Your brother was quite worried that he hadn’t heard from you.”

“The last we heard was when you went to stay with the Eynsfords,” Binky said, “and there was that spot of bother, wasn’t there? That unpleasant business with poor old Cedric.”

“Georgiana does seem to attract unpleasant business,” Fig said. “You’ve been abroad since you left the Eynsfords? We met the dowager duchess at Balmoral and she mentioned something along those lines.”

“I went to America with my mother,” I said.

“What on earth for? Is she looking for a rich American husband now?” Fig stirred her coffee fiercely.

“Oh I say, Fig, that’s really a bit much,” Binky interrupted.