“Come on, then, Nory, let’s me and you go back to the castle, have some fun, now the old ball and chain’s gone.” He winked.

“I don’t think so, Guy,” said Nory coldly. She didn’t want Isaac to think there was anything between her and Guy.

“I think you’d better take him back to the castle,” Isaac said quietly to Jeremy.

Jeremy nodded and stepped forward, but Guy had overheard, and in a flash, he was up in Isaac’s face, teeth bared, the anger that had been simmering under the surface since Camille had left suddenly breaking through.

“Who do you think you are?” he growled.

The horse whinnied, pulling at the reins.

“Step back,” said Isaac firmly.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Guy, come on.” Jeremy stood between them and reached for Guy’s arm, but Guy shook him off and ducked round him, squaring back up to Isaac. Jimmy, a fresh-faced man in his early twenties, looked alarmed and out of his depth, his head snapping between the men like a tennis umpire.

“Come on, then, big man!” Guy goaded Isaac.

Isaac stood his ground, saying nothing.

“You think you’re something? Big fish in a small pond, mate. You’re just a fucking gardener!”

“Guy!” Nory snapped. She’d been trying to keep her cool so as not to unnerve the horse any more than she already was, but this was getting out of hand. “Go back to the house and sleep it off, you’re being an idiot.”

Guy looked up at her and laughed and then said to Isaac: “She always was a feisty one.”

“Oh, shut the fuck up, Guy!” Nory said, exasperated.

Guy was still close enough to Isaac that Jeremy couldn’t get between them, both men immovable; Isaac because he was trying to keep the horse calm and Guy because he was engaged in some sort of private standoff. His eyes were intent on Isaac. Nory recognized the stance, the angry drunk gunning for a fight.

“Let’s go, Guy.” Jeremy tried again, pulling him away more forcefully this time. But Guy yanked himself free and fell forward into Isaac. Isaac pushed him back up to standing with his elbow, while keeping hold of the reins. But Guy saw this as a move of aggression on Isaac’s part and flew at him.

“You starting, mate?” He grimaced, shoving Isaac hard.

Isaac staggered backward but caught his balance. The horse whinnied and stamped her hooves. The groom hovered in the periphery, clearly wanting to take the reins from Isaac but wary of Guy, who looked wound up enough to lash out.

“Please don’t push me,” Isaac said with a quiet firmness.

“Jez, get him out of here!” Nory called, properly worried now. “Guy, pack it in.”