‘No, sir. He has sent me to collect some things he requires.’

‘Has he? Where is he, then?’

‘He’s in France, sir,’ Parker replied. ‘Someplace outside Paris called St Etienne.’

‘Is he indeed? Well, you know more about him than any of us. Why didn’t you go with him?’

‘My father died, sir. Mr Rupert sent me home for his funeral.’

‘Oh, sorry to hear that, Parker. Still, you’re here now… and going to France?’

‘Yes, sir. I’m to pack a trunk and take it to him at this place, St Etienne. He’s staying at an inn called Le Coq d’Argent.’

‘I see,’ said Justin. ‘Well, you can take a letter for me when you go. I’ve got news for him that may bring him home.’ Justin looked at Rupert’s man and said, ‘You may as well know, as everyone else does – I’m to be married. Miss Kitty Blake has done me the honour of engaging herself to me. We’re planning an autumn wedding.’

If Parker was surprised at this news, he didn’t show it – he had always thought it was Rupert who had captured Miss Kitty’s heart – but he simply gave a half bow and said, ‘Allow me to congratulate you, sir.’

‘Thank you,’ said Justin. ‘Now, before you get to work on your packing for Rupert, I think it would be a good idea if you went in to see my father. I’ll tell him you’re here and he’ll ring when he’s ready. I’m sure he’ll want to have news of Mr Rupert and may well have messages for you to take. Probably my mother too.’

Parker repaired to the servants’ quarters, where he found Mitchell, the butler, drinking a cup of tea with the cook, Mrs Darwin.

‘Well, well,’ said Mitchell when he walked in. ‘Look who’s turned up. Proverbial bad penny.’

‘Cup of tea, Mr Parker?’ suggested Mrs Darwin. ‘There’s plenty in the pot.’

Parker accepted the offer and sat down at the table with them while she stirred the tea and poured him a cup.

‘Everything all right with your mother?’ she asked. The servants knew why he’d been away, even if the family did not. ‘Poor dear, she must be very sad.’

‘She is,’ agreed Parker, ‘and thank you for asking. I was sorry to leave her, but Mr Rupert’s sent me a telegram to collect his things and meet him in France. Still,’ he went on with the air of someone happy enough to shift responsibility elsewhere, ‘my sister Eliza’s not far away, she can look in to Mother from time to time.’

At that moment a bell jangled. Mitchell looked up at the row and, seeing it was the library bell, said, ‘That’s Sir Philip. ‘I’d better go, unless… I expect it’s you he wants to see, Parker.’

Parker got to his feet. ‘Yes, I’ll go,’ he said. ‘I saw Mr Justin as I arrived, he said he’d tell the master I was here.’

He found Sir Philip sitting in his usual chair in the library bay window, looking out over the garden. The room was dual aspect, facing south and west, and at this time of day the sunlight streamed through the mullions of the window, casting patterns on the polished oak floor. He looked up as Parker knocked and came in, and for a moment his face was turned to the sun that poured into the room, bright and unforgiving, lighting his features with stark reality.