“You couldn’t have a better teacher.” Bill was clearly enjoying the game of talking over Haworth as much as Victoria Singh and Preston. Jack looked decidedly wary, and the family did not appear to be enjoying themselves at all. That was their hard luck. Miss Singh had no more volunteered to be Haworth’s punchbag than Pat had to be the audience to his nasty little games.

“Fen was remarkable,” she said. “Took to it like a duck to water. I think with practice you could be a fine shot.”

“I hope so, though of targets,” Fen said. “I don’t aspire to game, though I am happy to carry on with my wobbly and inconsistent principles and eat what others shoot for me.”

“Very reasonable.” Miss Singh smiled at her. “I might even join your next lesson, if I may, Miss Merton. I’m fired with a spirit of emulation.”

“Oh, yes, do!” Fen cried. “That would be great fun.”

“You’d be very welcome, although...” Pat couldn’t help glancing at Preston.

Miss Singh’s smile widened. “But surely I ought to learn from the best?”

“Argh,” Preston said, clutching his heart. “Cut to the quick. Actually, I’d be a rotten teacher—know what to do, but not how one does it, if you follow me—and Pat’s a better hand with a gun anyway. I own myself beaten on all points.”

“Do you know, I find it thrilling how many men of our party are happy to accept when they’ve been exceeded by a woman,” Fen remarked.

“There comes a point where even a chauvinist like myself has to face the facts,” the Earl put in, with a little bow to Pat.

“I should be careful, if I were you, Miss Merton,” Lady Anna said. There were red spots on her cheeks, and her voice was shrill. “You might win plaudits by beating men, but you won’t win hearts.”

It was astonishing how quickly the convivial atmosphere could be destroyed. Miss Singh shut her eyes, and someone gave a just-audible groan. Pat forbore to point out that she wouldn’t have taken Lady Anna’s advice on men for all the tea in China. “That’s all right, thanks. I shan’t worry.”

“I don’t think Miss Merton is interested in men’s hearts,” Haworth said, finally seizing an opportunity. “Why, she’s a man herself in all but the clothing. Give her a pair of trousers and nobody could tell the difference. I can just picture her wooing some pretty girl, can’t you?”

“And that will do.” Bill’s chair scraped in the frozen silence as he stood, tossing his napkin down. “Step outside with me a moment, Haworth.”

“Oh God,” Jimmy said under his breath.

“Did you not hear me?” Bill enquired, since Haworth hadn’t moved. “Get up.”