At any other time Carina would have been thrilled by the loveliness of the gardens. But now she felt her mind was preoccupied and worrying, although she would hardly admit it to herself, over Lord Lynche’s attitude and wondering whether in fact she had been wrong to speak to him as she had.

‘I must remember that I am only a Governess,’ she thought and recalled the Governesses she had known in other people’s houses.

Subdued middle-aged women who came down to luncheon with their charges, but who spoke only when they were spoken to, who sat with downcast eyes and with pursed lips while other people at the table appeared to ignore their very existence.

She thought of them now, feeling sorry for them with such barren lonely lives. She had never dreamt that she would become one.

‘I must keep my feelings to myself,’ she thought. ‘I must say, ‘no, Lord Lynche,’ and ‘Yes, Lord Lynche,’ if he deigns to address me. I must remember that he looks on me as less than dust beneath his feet.’

She stood for a moment staring at a statue of a nymph pursued by a satyr.

“I hate him!” she said out loud.

She heard a footstep on the path behind her and turned round, half expecting to see Lord Lynche advancing upon her again.

Instead she saw that it was not Lord Lynche but Sir Percy Rockley, smoking a big cigar and looking, she thought, very like the satyr as his dark eyes with their heavy pouches looked her over and clearly found her, most unfortunately, to be pleasing.

“What do you think of Lynche Castle, Miss Warner?” Sir Percy asked as he approached.

“It is very beautiful,” Carina answered, dropping her eyes as she spoke and giving what she hoped was a good impersonation of a demure and nondescript Governess.

As Sir Percy stood in front of her, she could smell the rich fragrance of his cigar and thought too that there was a subtle, yet masculine, fragrance of eau-de-Cologne about him.

“Have you seen our host?” Sir Percy enquired.

“Lord Lynche is riding in the Park,” Carina answered.

“I thought he would very likely be up,” Sir Percy said. “None of the rest of the party has stirred out of bed as yet. We were all very late last night.”

“Indeed?” Carina managed to make the monosyllable sound indifferent.

She looked towards Dipa, trying to think of an excuse to call him to her.

“I wonder if you will enjoy yourself here?” Sir Percy asked reflectively. “I gather that you will be staying for some time.”

“The Prince has been invited for the winter at any rate,” Carina said, feeling herself flush a little as she gave Dipa his new title.