Dressed accordingly an hour later she went downstairs to breakfast with her houseguests. Guy had already breakfasted and was closeted in the library with the prime minister and the chancellor of the exchequer for the last political discussion of the weekend. But just before eleven o’clock the entire house party gathered in the hall to walk together to the church for the Sunday morning ritual.

The Ashton boxed pew was not large enough for the entire party but the prime minister, the chancellor and their wives were all accommodated with Lord and Lady Ashton. Petra kept her eyes open with difficulty during a long and tedious sermon and it was with relief that she walked out of the church with her husband to greet the rector at the door. After a few minutes’ conversation they walked back to the house and Petra hurried upstairs to change her church attire for an afternoon dress, reflecting that the rules of dress in the country were more arduous than in town. In London she rarely changed her daytime dress until the evening.

She was in the drawing room talking with a group of newly arrived luncheon guests when Babbit announced, “Lord Harrington and Lady Delmont.”

Petra spun around to face the drawing room doors. It had not occurred to her for one instant that she would be receiving Clothilde Delmont at Ashton Court, but now she realized she should not be surprised. She knew she was staying with Lord Harrington and his lordship, as a near neighbor, of course would be automatically included in the open house invitation.

She stayed where she was by the fireplace watching as Guy left the people he was talking to and went to greet the new arrivals. Why hadn’t he warned her? Why had he invited his former mistress in the first place? He didn’t have to include Harrington and his guests. Of course, he’d invited the woman to his own engagement party, she thought with a surge of anger. How dared he do this to her again?

She watched as Guy took Clothilde’s hand. It looked as if he was going to brush it with a conventional kiss but Clothilde leaned in and presented her cheek, giving him no option but to give her the kiss that indicated a close friendship at the very least. Plastering a smile on her lips, Petra walked across the room, aware of a slight buzz around her. Of course, most of the guests would know of the erstwhile relationship between their host and Lady Delmont.

“Lady Delmont. Welcome to Ashton Court.” She held out her hand, the smile still on her lips.

Clothilde’s gloved fingers barely brushed Petra’s hand. “Lady Ashton. How kind of you to invite me.”