She moved past. She had almost reached the staircase at the end of the passage which she had decided to climb when a man wearing the dark high-cut coat of a valet came out of one of the rooms with a pair of shoes in his arms.

As he stood back to let her pass, Carina said politely,

“Good evening.”

She thought that he stared at her curiously before, after a moment’s hesitation, he said,

“Good evening, my Lady.”

With a little smile Carina reached the stairs, wondering how soon he would learn his mistake to find he had been addressing someone of as little importance as a Governess.

She glanced back at the man, saw that he was quite elderly and was staring after her as if in perplexity.

‘I expect he wonders what I am doing in the kitchen quarters,’ Carina told herself and, amused by the brief encounter, she ran up the stairs and by using her sense of direction found her way without much difficulty back to the nurseries.

The housemaid was almost asleep, her cap slipping a little as her head nodded against the high back of the chair.

When she saw Carina, she jumped up with a start.

“Sorry, miss. I was a-dozin’ off.”

“Don’t apologise,” Carina answered. “I am sorry I have been so long. It was lovely out in the gardens.”

“Well, as you’re back,” the girl said reluctantly, “I suppose I’d better go and see what that Mrs. Barnstaple wants me to do now. I bet it’s somethin’ unpleasant.”

“Perhaps you had better,” Carina agreed. “And will you thank her for letting you help me.”

“I’ve liked doin’ it, miss,” the girl said and then, as she reached the door, she gave a start. “Oh, I quite forgot. Miss Matthews came up and said her Ladyship wants to speak to you. Perhaps I’d better wait while you go down to her?”

“If you are not in a hurry,” Carina said, “although I am sure the Prince is asleep.”

She opened the door of Dipa’s room gently, only to hear his quiet breathing.

“I will not be long,” she told the housemaid and with a sinking heart went down to the Dowager’s room.

She felt certain that Lady Lynche, with her knowledge of everything that went on in the house, must have already learned of her encounter with Sir Percy.

There was no other reason that she could think of why the Dowager should send for her and she wondered what she should say if she was questioned about what had happened.

It was all so embarrassing, so unpleasant, and yet, in a way, she would rather deal with it herself.

She felt suddenly timid.

As she knocked on the door, she hoped, almost against hope, that a lady’s maid would come and say that Lady Lynche was too tired to see her.