They took their seats and almost immediately a waiter appeared with a bottle, which he showed to Guy, who glanced at it and nodded. “I thought a cool glass of Puligny-Montrachet might be welcome to start with.”

The pale straw–colored wine was poured into crystal glasses, the bottle ensconced in an ice bucket on a side table, and Guy raised his glass. “To present company.”

It was a perfect toast, elegant, courteous and inclusive. “To present company,” Petra returned with the rest of them. She took a sip of the crisp, cold liquid, reflecting that Guy must have ordered the wine at the same time he had somehow arranged this private table on the spur of the moment in a full restaurant. “Weren’t we lucky to be able to get this table?” she observed, watching Guy over the lip of her glass.

“Ah, well,” Guy said with a little smile, “I happen to know that Christophe keeps this particular table free just in case someone he likes comes in unexpectedly.”

“And, of course, he likes Lord Ashton,” Petra said, shaking her head in feigned wonder.

“Lord Ashton goes out of his way to express his appreciation for any little courtesies that Christophe does for him,” Guy said bluntly. “Don’t pretend you don’t know how our world works, my dear.” He took another sip and then said, “Now, I hope you understand that you’re all my guests. I took the liberty of ordering lunch for us. Charles here will tell us the menu.” He gestured invitingly to a waiter who now stood at attention beside the table.

Guy was insisting on playing host, therefore it was entirely reasonable that he should order the menu just as if they were in his own dining room. Nevertheless, Petra felt that a proper invitation would have been nice. She cast a quick speaking glance toward Diana and Fenella sitting across the round table from her. They both flicked their eyes in instant response.

Jonathan cleared his throat and his sister understood immediately that he was put out. Obviously, he had not expected to find himself lunching at Guy’s expense and it put him in an awkward position. As he’d understood, he and Guy were having lunch together and together had invited the women. But he couldn’t protest now without causing the table general embarrassment. It was yet another example of how Guy Granville managed his affairs without giving a thought to how his actions might affect anyone else, Petra thought grimly.

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Try as she might, Petra could not fault Guy’s menu or his hosting skills. He was an easy conversationalist, an attentive host, and no fault could be found with oysters, poached Christchurch salmon with a delicate watercress mousseline, buttered new potatoes and tender spring peas, followed by baby strawberries with thick clotted cream.