“Ugh. I’m sorry, Pat, I sound like an ungrateful cad. Look, you’d really do me a service if you’d give Fen a few lessons. She’s going to be desperately bored for the next couple of weeks and I have certain things to do. I’m not asking you to miss out on the shooting, of course, but if you found yourself at a loose end, I would appreciate it.”

Pat knew she should encourage him to put some effort into his engagement. She didn’t. “I’ll have a crack. Shall we get back for breakfast?”

“Yes,” Jimmy said. “Yes, I suppose we should.”

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

Breakfast at Rodington Court was an informal affair. Bill and Miss Singh were down when Jimmy and Pat returned, the Earl and Countess had been and gone, and there was no sign of the more fashionable members of the party.

“Pat’s going to teach Fenella to shoot this morning,” Jimmy announced. “I wish her luck. I’m at everyone else’s disposal if you’d like to take a stroll around the grounds.”

“That would be lovely,” Miss Singh agreed. “Won’t Miss Carruth want to join us?”

“She’s not much of a walker,” Jimmy said. “I don’t intend the guns to spend all day in the field, by the way. Those who like can, but we have so many guests who aren’t shots that everyone should feel free to do as you please. Liberty Hall and all that.”

“That suits me,” Bill said. Pat, who had been hoping to spend all day every day under the sky, suppressed a sigh. She very much hoped that she wouldn’t be expected to nursemaid Miss Carruth throughout the party. She didn’t think Jimmy would serve her such a trick, but he was a man, so her expectations were low.

Miss Carruth hadn’t appeared by the time Pat had finished her breakfast, nor had she emerged an hour later, by which time Pat had finished her book and was trawling the well-stocked library for works on field sports. Jimmy, neither surprised nor daunted, produced a pair of small-bore rifles suitable for target-shooting and informed Pat that the South Lawn would be an excellent place to practice, “once Fen gets up.”

Pat rolled her eyes, but set off in that direction. It was a beautiful day, and she thought it would be more pleasant to be out of the house now the rest of the party was stirring.