‘How I should love to see it,’ said Olivia with glowing eyes.

That was real beauty, Sir Randolph thought. A beautiful woman, a handsome man on either side; how proud of them he felt. Pity poor old Bob Lilburn was a bit of an ass, nice though he was.

‘No,’ said Aline Hartlip on his other side. ‘There’s absolutely nothing in it.’

‘What do you mean?’ She smiled at him, her thin clever face expressing her disbelief in his naïveté. ‘Don’t pretend you are not as interested as we all are. But I had a little talk last night and I can tell you there’s nothing in it. In fact I honestly believe she didn’t know what I was referring to.’

‘Nor do I. Though I can guess it’s some kind of wickedness.’

‘It’s not wicked to speculate, now is it? And one can’t help doing that when one has what one has there, something of the highest quality – she is now isn’t she? – allied to something that looks as if it’s of the same quality but isn’t, to which second person the first person has done her duty in the shape of a son and heir – and now there’s a third person, also of the highest quality – I think, don’t you? – and obviously enslaved. Of course one speculates. I can’t think of anyone whose happiness I care more about. She’s so utterly exceptional. Of course I have always been green with jealousy too because she’s the supreme enchantress, don’t you agree?’

‘I knew it was wickedness of some kind. As for degrees of supremacy in the arts of enchantment you know quite well who wins those laurels. What a competitive pair you are, you and your husband.’

‘Gilbert? Competitive? But he doesn’t even join in the game!’

‘I meant to refer to sport. In this case.’

‘Oh, sport. Sport doesn’t interest me at all. Except that of course one likes a man to be good at it.’

‘In that case you could hardly have made a better choice of husband.’

‘You would think so, wouldn’t you? But d’you know something very odd was happening today. Did you notice?’

‘Certainly not.’

‘I mean that a certain person, and I won’t say who because you know how one always hears one’s own name, was shooting nearly as well as a certain other person. If not altogether as well. I mean it never happens. But never.’

‘Then no doubt it wasn’t happening today.’

‘It was. It upset him terribly.’

‘Oh nonsense. How can he be bothered with that? It isn’t even as if the other is in the same league. He’s not a famous shot like your husband. It’s just that he’s one of those all-round athletes who can’t go wrong at any sport. He’s not interested in trying to equal Gilbert.’

‘Of course he is. Everyone wants to beat the champion.’

‘Shooting is not a game. It’s not a competitive thing. I can assure you you’re quite wrong, Aline, that’s not how our young friend’s mind works.’