‘Nonsense, you had a horrid fright and it’s all my fault. I feel wretched about it. I get so carried away on horseback. It’s my great passion, you see. I just assume everyone loves it as much as I do.’ She placed a hand above her heart. ‘But it must have been so fear-making for you and I feel terrible, truly I do. It was thoughtless of me and I’ve come to beg your forgiveness.’

Beg? Effie blinked. ‘. . . That’s not necessary either, m’lady—’

‘You simply must call me Sid,’ she said, coming into the room and moving the towels onto the floor, settling herself in the small armchair beside the tub. Effie eyed the towels, now further away than before; there was no chance of her getting out now. ‘I insist.’

‘Sid?’

‘Of course. All my friends do, and I want us to be friends, Effie, really I do. I know we got off to an awkward start, what with Margaux giving you a fright like that.’ She smiled and Effie thought how perfectly symmetrical her face was; she was like a doll really, pretty and neat, not a hair out of place.

She leant in closer. ‘Can I tell you a secret?’

Effie blinked again. ‘What?’ she asked quietly.

‘When we first met, I was fiendishly jealous of you.’

‘Of me?’

‘Of course! The earl was forever telling me about this extraordinary young woman who’d guided them on their trip. Then you turned up with that fantastic tan and a figure like a mannequin. Sholto was quite right, you know, when he said Nancy never looked half so good in that dress as you.’

Effie could hardly believe what she was hearing.

‘I know he admires you terribly too, just like his father, and he wants us to be friends. Can we? Can you forgive me for being so beastly? I was a silly girl for being so petty.’

Us. Being Friends. I was a fool to think . . . Everything’s against us. Everyone.

If she and Sibyl could be friends . . . ‘There’s nothing to forgive, m’lady.’

‘Uh-uh. Sid.’

‘. . . Sid.’

‘Oh good!’ Sibyl beamed suddenly, clapping her hands together, and her brown eyes shone. ‘I’m so pleased! And now to celebrate our new friendship, you must come to the party tonight.’

‘What? No!’

‘Yes. You must. You absolutely must. Everyone’s going to be there and I want to introduce you to them all. You’ll love them! They’re such a riot!’

‘But I can’t. I can’t talk to those people.’