Marnie considered. ‘Perhaps it’s because it frees me up. I feel in control behind the wheel,’ she said at last. ‘When I was little, speed terrified me and I hated going out with my father – he used to scare the daylights out of me – till he had the bright idea of teaching me to drive myself. It was a revelation! I don’t know who was more surprised or pleased, him or me, and it’s been a great bond between us. Now it’s one of the few things I do that I’m really confident about. I’ve always been afraid of things happening that I couldn’t handle. In the English bit of my childhood we had ponies. My mother has always ridden and one of my stepfathers was an MFH, but I was terrified. My pony bolted with me once when I was about ten, and oh boy, was I shit-scared then! I lost my nerve so completely that I even faced up to my mother and said I wouldn’t ride again – and that took some courage, I can tell you. But when I’m behind the wheel I feel . . .’ She paused. ‘I suppose I feel I’m in charge,’ she said. ‘I even enjoy going fast – so long as it’s me doing the driving. It’s what other people may do that always panics me.’ She laughed and pulled a mocking face, but her companion, who was far more observant than most of his acquaintances gave him credit for, thought she looked sad. ‘I guess that goes for other things as well as driving,’ she said. ‘People just tend to frighten me . . . full stop!’

‘People frighten me too,’ said Lord Dunbarnock, smiling at her very kindly. ‘I’m much better with engines. I know what I’m doing with those. And, yes, I’d be pleased to show you my cars as well as the records if Giles and Isobel bring you over.’ He looked at her thoughtfully. ‘I might even let you drive one.’

Marnie guessed this would be a very unusual honour and was touched. It gave her a warm little glow inside to think that this eccentric and allegedly antisocial elderly bachelor should have found her company so pleasant – and an even warmer glow to know, instinctively, that across the table, Christopher was aware of this too.

Christopher, having finished talking to Jonathan Mercer, had turned to Louisa, but both were unobtrusively watching Marnie while simultaneously conducting an enjoyable and light-hearted conversation with each other.

The moment she had seen Christopher and Marnie standing under the archway holding hands, Louisa had sensed immediately that something must have shifted in their reactions to each other, but was not sure how significant it might be.