‘So it transpires’ – Lizzie turned and bestowed upon Mary the honour of speaking as if to an equal – ‘while she had accepted him in the moment, the parents then swanned in and squashed it. As if Ned was not good enough! The heir – the sole heir – of Chawton and Godmersham did not meet their requirements?’ She placed a hand on her pretty bosom. ‘I have thought so for some time, though good manners prevented me mentioning: the Blighs, as a family, are quite perfectly ghastly.’

‘Enough, madam!’ Sir Edward slapped his hand down on the table and wrenched the napkin out from his dress shirt. ‘I shall not have a peer of the realm maligned in my house. His lordship acted perfectly properly and arrived at the only possible outcome. We have a hierarchy in this country, Mrs Rice, and we must take care to protect it. A title – even the humblest baronetcy such as my own – is a matter of some consequence.’

Mary could sense that her papa was building up to a roar. The earlier mild disposition was gone; a storm was incoming. She studied her plate and braced for it.

‘Furthermore.’ Half the candles spluttered then died. The table grew dim. ‘Thus far, I have restrained myself but can do so no longer.’ A servant rushed in with a taper. ‘It falls to me to point out that your brother has – as per his regrettable nature – behaved in the most reckless manner. To propose to the lady at all was quite foolish. To ask the woman herself before approaching the father – whose business this is, may I point out – is the act of a scoundrel.’

Fanny let out a cry of almost physical pain.

‘Forgive me, my dear.’ He placed a hand upon his wife’s shoulder and tempered his tone. ‘But henceforth, it is vital that we all be more vigilant. In some ways, I must confess to having harboured a certain admiration for young Mr Knight’s extraordinary self-confidence. No doubt he enjoys it as a God-given blessing, but is it not in fact more of a curse? Surely it has brought him considerable embarrassment in this matter and I fear it could yet again. I must say’ – he shook his heavy head and picked up his glass – ‘I dread it, for then what will become of us? And to that end, I must issue this warning – here and right now, before his two loving sisters.

‘I will not – I repeat not – have one whiff of scandal attached to my excellent name.’

CHAPTER XXII