Granville’s face takes on an alert, concentrating look, and I can almost hear his brain whirring as he works out that Ned has made a very good point. If Sir Michael’s going to let anyone else have the gatehouse, a lavish gentleman’s residence – and goodness knows he has hummed and hawed about selling for years – it is now obvious to whom he was duty bound to let this plum, this prize, go. Not to the Lacostes, not to the Sturgises, praise the Lord. But to his only long-lost son, of course, Colin Watts, his heir, who, only a few minutes ago, conveniently fused with the daughter of new money, Serena Cobb.

Still, the small matter of the gatehouse, as both men must know, is not going to be settled in a hurry.

Outside, in the sunshine, the ambulance carrying Sir Michael to Godminster General makes a yelping noise, and its blue light twirls importantly in the broad daylight. At Sir Michael’s insistence, it is dropping off Lady Elizabeth at Court Place first.

‘Michael told me for goodness’ sake to go to the reception,’ Lady E, who is rather deaf, is explaining in a loud voice to puzzled observers, including me and Ralph. ‘He said he intended to have plenty more grippers before porping orf, I couldn’t do anything anyway, and he couldn’t absolutely guarantee me another sumptuous do at Court Place laid orn by the Corbs.’

One could see Sir Michael’s point. Magnum upon magnum of organic Californian Champagne is chilling in the Lar. The waiting staff – who number about fifty – the bridesmaids, the entire bridal entourage, even the Court Place dogs – have all had their hair and make-up or coats professionally groomed at the expense of Cath Cobb, who has determined that as much produce as possible, from Champagne to olive oil to wedding cake, is sourced from the Cobb family estates.

It is a wedding not to be missed.

At first I was surprised that Lady E seemed unmoved by the revelation that Sir Michael had sired a son by Gwenda. Then Ralph pointed out it is because she knows nothing about it. As far as Lady E is concerned, Sir Michael had a minor heart attack during the service, and that Gwenda sat down next to him a few moments before, but the two events are in no way related.