Patricia inhaled sharply and sank down on the sofa. ‘Nobody understands how I feel.’

‘Yes, we do, Patsy.’ Rosalind sat down beside her. ‘But don’t take it out on Alex. If you want my honest opinion I don’t think you would have been happy as an army wife. Maybe this is a chance for you to find the perfect husband who will treat you as you would wish.’

Felicia sighed. ‘If such a person exists. There are several up-and-coming members of the chorus who would love to get to know her better, but she’s rebuffed all their advances.’

Patricia shrugged. ‘I’m not interested in members of the chorus, Mama. I have my sights set a little higher than that.’

‘They might rise to become stars of the opera world with the right woman behind them.’

‘I’m not interested in promoting someone else. I want a husband who will spoil me and pamper me, and buy me expensive jewels.’

‘That sounds more like a rich lover than a husband,’ Felicia said, curling her lip. ‘One day you’ll come down to earth, my girl. In the meantime I want you to be civil to Alexander, and then you may go to Greystone Park with my blessing. Perhaps Christina can find you a wealthy beau.’

‘I don’t need her help. I can get any man I want, should I choose to do so.’

Felicia opened her mouth to reply but a tap on the door announced the arrival of Tilly. She placed a tray set with a decanter of Madeira and several glasses on a table beside Felicia’s chair.

‘At last!’ Felicia poured a generous amount of the wine into a glass. ‘Would you like some, Rosie?’

‘No, thank you, Mama. I find that any wine or spirits make me feel ill at the moment.’

‘That’s one thing I never intend to suffer,’ Patricia said with feeling. ‘Whoever marries me must be prepared to forgo being a parent. I never want to lose my figure or suffer the pain of childbirth.’

‘Then you’d better look for a rich widower,’ Felicia said, sipping her drink. ‘If you smile nicely at Sir Michael, maybe he will oblige.’

‘He is rather old, but he’s very wealthy.’ Patricia’s sulky scowl was replaced with a mischievous smile. ‘How droll it would be if I became Christina and Sylvia’s stepmother.’