‘Oh, but I couldn’t!’ she said. It was so very valuable, and the thought of accepting it under such circumstances didn’t feel right at all.

James paused. ‘I hunted it for you,’ he said. ‘It had your name on it from the moment I first saw it. No one else would appreciate it as you will. Please. It is only a flower – nothing more.’

‘You are very kind,’ Rosa managed. ‘But, really—’

‘You have my word that I will not make a nuisance of myself, if that’s what concerns you.’ James’s brown eyes watched her closely. ‘In fact I will never raise this topic with you again. I hope you will accept the orchid as a token of friendship.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘We are still friends, are we not?’

Rosa forced a smile to her face. ‘Of course!’

Her voice seemed to ring in her ears like a hollow bell. She knew she absolutely could not accept the orchid, that it would be wrong and improper, and yet the flower was so beautiful, and she wanted it so very badly, and when her fingers closed around the stem, she wasn’t sorry.

‘Well, I believe I have taken up enough of your time, so I will take my leave,’ James said, already reaching for his hat. He indicated the Wardian case at his feet and went on, ‘I have left written instructions regarding the care of the galaxy orchid. They are quite particular flowers and prefer to be planted in books rather than soil.’

‘Books? But how—’

‘Simply fold it within the pages of a beautiful story for a few hours once a week or so,’ James said, ‘and the petals will shine all the brighter. I took the liberty of selecting an appropriate book. It’s a children’s tale I recently stumbled upon at an auction house. You’ll find it in the Wardian case.’ He offered a bow. ‘Thank you once again for the tea and the conversation.’

And, with that, James took his leave. Rosa was certain she had done the right thing – that she had acted like an adult rather than a child – and so she couldn’t explain why she felt a lingering sense of sadness that stayed with her throughout the afternoon. It might almost be enough to make a less determined person wonder whether they had made the right choice, after all. But Rosa had always known what she wanted from life, and she wasn’t about to start doubting herself now.