Unless there were guests, the midday meal at Pilgrim’s Oak was taken informally. Often it was little more than a bowl of soup, a plate of cold meats with vegetables from the kitchen garden, and a dish of summer fruits with a jug of cream.

‘Shall we go for a ride this afternoon?’ Frances suggested as they sat down at the table. ‘It’s a beautiful day and we could ride up over the hill and look at the view. On a day like today we should be able to see the sea.’

Justin almost accepted her suggestion. After all, it wouldn’t matter if he didn’t go to see Kitty this very afternoon. He could go another time, another day soon. However, his mother spoke before he could and said, ‘I plan to call on Lady Charteris this afternoon, my love, and she particularly asked me to bring you with me. She has someone she would like you to meet.’

‘Oh, Mama.’ Frances gave a theatrical sigh. ‘Not another suitable young man!’

Amabel Chalfont smiled indulgently. ‘I know how you feel about her efforts, Frances, but we have to remember she’s an old lady and enjoys the company of young people like you. Anyway, when she sent her groom over with an invitation to call and take tea with her this afternoon, I accepted.’

Frances knew there was no point arguing with her mother. Amabel, though an amiable and generally indulgent mother, could be decidedly obstinate. Once she had made up her mind to something, all her children knew there was little point in trying to change it. Arguments, pleas, tears and tantrums were greeted with the same indifference and so Frances sighed and, turning back to her brother and speaking with great formality, said, ‘Well, Justin, I should like to make an appointment to ride with you tomorrow… if the weather is clement.’

‘Certainly, Frances,’ he replied with equal formality. ‘We shall ride together tomorrow… if the weather is clement.’ At which they both broke out laughing.

‘What are your plans for this afternoon, Justin?’ enquired his mother. ‘I know Lady Charteris would be delighted to see you as well. She is sadly short of company these days.’

‘I would have been delighted to escort you and Fran to visit her,’ Justin said, ‘but unfortunately I am engaged to call at Marwick House this afternoon.’

Frances flashed a look of interested enquiry to him but he simply smiled back at her enigmatically, giving her no idea of his inner thoughts. He would give no hint to anyone of what he had finally decided to do; he would ask Kitty and then spring it on them all!

At the end of the meal Sir Philip got to his feet. ‘If you’ll excuse me, my dear, I am meeting with Dawson this afternoon. Just a few decisions to be made.’

If his wife was surprised at his explanation of his doings that afternoon, when normally he told almost nothing of his business, she gave no sign. Despite her husband’s careful discretion about Mary Dawson, Amabel already knew the situation from her maid, Bessie. News like that spread through the servants from house to house like wildfire. In a village the size of Pilgrim St Leonard, nothing remained secret for very long. She also knew that Rupert was considered to be one of the putative fathers, and though she hoped he was no such thing, one had to bear in mind that young men did occasionally get themselves and young maids into scrapes. As long as there was no scandal it could be ignored, and she was certain that Sir Philip would allow no breath of scandal to touch his family. Somehow the problem, if there really was one, would go away. She was glad that Rupert had gone to London and was thus out of the way. Until the talk this lunchtime she had had no idea that he had gone to a wedding in France.