“Oh, rather. Boring desk job, actually. Pencil pusher. My older brother will inherit the estate and there’s not much money in the family, so I was cast out upon the cruel world.”

We actually had a lot in common and he was attractive in a film-starrish sort of way, so why couldn’t I warm to him? After all, he had been to the right sort of school. He was one of us and I did need a husband. But there was just something about him—the exaggerated cut of his jacket, maybe, and the brilliantine in his hair, and those bedroom eyes, and the way he called me gorgeous when I wasn’t. Healthy or “not bad looking” at best.

Fortunately before I had to make more polite conversation with Hugo Beasley-Bottome animated voices down the hall heralded the arrival of the Americans.

“And I had just got myself lathered up nicely when the hot water gave out,” came a voice. I think it must have been Babe’s. “I had to finish my shower in freezing cold water. My dears, it was not a pleasant experience, I can tell you.”

“Positively primitive,” Mrs. Simpson said, “but I understand from a certain person that Balmoral is even more so. And they have a bagpiper at dawn there every morning—can you imagine?”

“Bagpiper at dawn?” I said brightly as they came into the breakfast room. “Oh, we do that here, as well. In fact, it’s done at all the Scottish great houses.”

“Well, I’ve never heard him.”

“No, I gather he’s been laid up with bronchitis and hasn’t had the wind to play the pipes for the past week. We really miss him.”

They stopped as Hugo rose to his feet yet again and introductions were made all around. Hugo was almost oozing charm and the Americans were easily won over.

“How nice that you’ve joined us, Mr. Beasley-Bottome,” Babe said. “You’ll liven up our little party no end.” And her eyes held his for longer than was socially acceptable. I began to think that bed hopping might well be a national sport across the Atlantic, until I remembered my very correct man from Kansas.

“So what do we have planned for today, Wallis honey?” Countess Von Sauer asked.

“I believe I’m going on a little jaunt in an automobile. You’ll just have to amuse yourselves,” Wallis said.

“I tell you what,” Hugo announced brightly. “Why don’t you come with me down to the loch? My friends are testing a new speedboat and may be going to have a go at the world water speed record. It should be ripping fun.”

“That does sound like a good idea, doesn’t it, Earl?” Babe said. Anything to be with Hugo, I suspected. “We could take a picnic. I just adore picnics. It looks as if it’s going to be a fine day.”