Honora shook her head.

“No, Mama, and she was lying when she said that she could speak French like a native.”

“How could you know that?” her mother enquired.

“I could feel that she was lying.”

Because Honora had been so positive, Mrs. Lang had chosen another teacher and later she learnt that she had been right to do so.

Although she tried not to, Honora could not help watching the Duke when he received congratulations and good wishes on their engagement.

He rather astutely managed to avoid the questions of how they had met and how long they had known each other, which almost everybody who came into the drawing room was bursting with curiosity to ask.

The Countess was charming, witty and very gracious.

Watching her too, Honora thought it would be impossible for anybody whom she was now entertaining to realise how disagreeable she had been all day.

The difference in her voice when she spoke to them and to the Duke was very noticeable and Honora had the frightening idea that perhaps everybody in the Social world was the same.

She had a sudden fear that she might be spending the rest of her life with people who, like her aunt, had two sides to their nature.

‘I could not bear it!’ she thought.

She found herself looking searchingly at all her relatives, wondering if each one of them was two-faced and, although they were gushing at her now, might easily behave very differently should the occasion arise.

It was certainly true that they were making themselves overwhelmingly pleasant, but the only time that she felt less apprehensive was when an elderly great-aunt said to her quietly,

“I know your father and mother, my dear, would both be very pleased that you are marrying somebody so distinguished. But what is more important is that Ulric, whom I have known since he was born, is very intelligent and very considerate of those who work for him on his estates.’

Honora looked at her enquiringly and the old lady explained,

“I live only about ten miles from Tyne Castle and, as you can imagine, everybody in my village talks about the handsome Duke and has been wondering for years whom he would marry.”

She gave a little chuckle as she added,

“I expect I shall have quite a lot of reflected glory because you are my great-niece.”

Honora liked her and said impulsively,

“I hope, Great-aunt Louise, that when I am living at The Castle I may come to visit you.”

Her great-Aunt put her hand over hers and said,

“I am always there, should you want me. Your father was my favourite nephew. He may have been naughty in many ways, but he made everybody who knew him laugh, and I miss him, as I am sure you do.”

“Nothing has been the same ever since Papa – died,” Honora replied.

“I heard you had been sent to Florence,” her great-aunt said. “But never mind, with Ulric to look after you, you will enjoy yourself just as your father used to do.”