“I thought you were musical!” the Duke said quickly.

Honora laughed.

“You always have an answer. That is why it is such fun talking to you, as I am sure dozens and dozens of beautiful ladies have told you in the past.”

The Duke wanted to say that, while there had been quite a number of beautiful women, his relations with them could never have been described as ‘fun’.

That was what he was enjoying with Honora and now, as they saw the house just ahead of them with the grooms waiting for the horses, he said,

“I think that after such a long day you should lie down before dinner, while I polish up my brain and think of new ways of confronting you.”

“That is unfair,” Honora objected. “You are trying to take a mean advantage. As it is, I feel a poor, crushed little ignoramus.”

“Not a very apt description!” the Duke replied dryly. “I will think of a better one by dinnertime.”

He saw her dimple as she pointed out,

“And I, of course, will have to lie awake deciding how best I can entertain my Lord and Master!”

The Duke did not answer because at that moment the grooms hurried to the horses’ heads and, having dismounted, he helped Honora from the saddle.

As he lifted her to the ground, he thought once again how light she was and yet he was aware that she could handle the wildest and most obstreperous horse in a manner that he admired.

They walked up the steps side by side and, as they reached the front door, Honora said,

“Thank you again for a lovely – lovely day.”

She looked up at the Duke as she spoke and he thought that her eyes had captured the sunshine and that he had never seen a woman who looked so happy unless he had been making love to her.

When they went into the house, Honora started to climb the stairs while the Duke, having handed his hat, gloves and whip to a footman, walked into the library.

It was a very attractive room and the walls were covered with books except where there were some fine pictures of horses by Stubbs.

As he expected, there were a number of letters on his desk that had arrived by post after he and Honora had left that morning and there were also the newspapers arranged neatly on a stool in front of the fireplace.

He glanced at the letters and decided that they did not interest him and he would leave them until later.

Instead he walked towards the newspapers thinking that it had been a relief these past few days to be almost out of touch with both the Social and the political world.

Then to his surprise he heard the door open and the butler announce,

“The Countess of Langstone, Your Grace!”

For a moment the Duke was still.

Then he put down the newspaper he had just picked up and turned.