As she walked ever closer to Eustace, she felt the grim weight of expectation pressing down upon her shoulders, and a trembling started in her legs, spreading throughout her body. Their assembled family and friends all gazed up at her, and their approval seemed suddenly to matter more than it should – much more than it had a few moments ago – tangling her up in multiple sticky strands of some invisible web.

She’d been so sure last night, and in the study with Rosa, but now that feeling was slipping through her fingers like water. Her palms itched with sweat inside her lace gloves and, suddenly, she doubted whether she had the strength to break her way out of this box, after all.

Then her uncle deposited her before Eustace, her aunt whisked away her flowers and the moment had arrived. She was glad of the veil, because there was a steely-cold look in Eustace’s blue eyes that she’d never seen before. It was a look that made her feel small and powerless and very foolish. Half a woman, with half a mind.

Wilkie appeared from somewhere and brushed against her dress, poking his muzzle at her as he gazed up with adoring brown eyes, wagging his tail slowly back and forth.

‘Who let this fellow out?’ Eustace asked in his usual pleasant tone.

He extended his hand to stroke the dog’s head, but was too rough with his ear, twisting it back so that Wilkie yelped and pulled away.

Eustace turned to Beatrice and reached for her hand. ‘Please do not concern yourself about yesterday, my dear,’ he said. ‘There is nothing lost. After all, there would not have been sufficient time to cure your speech before the wedding anyway, and we have many years ahead of us. I want you to know I forgive you entirely.’

Beatrice narrowed her eyes.

But I never asked for your forgiveness, she thought.

Eustace smiled, making it seem as if his blond moustache moved by itself – a gesture Beatrice suddenly despised beyond all reason. She couldn’t bear the thought of that moustache touching her skin. Even the feel of it through her glove was intolerable, and she had to force herself not to snatch her hand away when he pressed his mouth to the back of it.