Lord Martley was in ebullient mood. Miss Felbridge, his Miss Felbridge, had been clever, and given him useful information without anybody realising it. Not only did this show her wits, but that she was collaborating with him, not just waiting for him to do things. ‘Collaboration’ meant doing things together, and being together with her in thought or physical presence was very important to the viscount. All he needed now was a reason to be in the park at five of the afternoon, without looking as though he was just there to happen to meet Miss Felbridge and Miss Gaydon. He coloured. He suddenly felt rather bad about Miss Gaydon. It was possible, since she was in her first Season and unused to society, that she might think the interest he had been showing really was in her, when it was actually to enable him to be near Miss Felbridge. That was a bad thing, not gentlemanly, and verging upon the dishonourable. What he ought to do was make a clean breast of it to her, and reveal his attachment. He thought, hoped, that she would not think too badly of him. How he was to make this confession, which had to be private, he was not entirely sure. Lagging behind in the park would not only be obvious but might upset his beloved. His ebullience faded, and it was a thoughtful man who entered his club and ordered sustenance.

In the post-storm brightness, Hyde Park was quite crowded at the hour when society promenaded, gossip was exchanged and the occasional secret imparted. The Misses Fairburn were pleasant young women, only eighteen months apart in age, with a habit of finishing each other’s sentences in the manner of twins. They were full of very mild gossip, of the sort that the young ladies might know, rather than the more dangerous variety that circulated among the matrons and mamas. Theirs was the gossip of impending betrothals, comments upon the gowns of friends and rivals, and a general interest in the Season, and both Henrietta and Caroline were able to take part without having to divert all their thoughts from the subject uppermost in the head of each.