‘Yes, of course.’ Rosalind realised suddenly that she had left her shawl draped over the back of her chair. ‘I won’t be a moment.’

She made her way back to their table, but she stopped when she saw Glorina sitting on her own. ‘I’m sorry that my sister spoiled your son’s engagement announcement.’

Glorina shrugged and stubbed out the cigarillo she had been smoking. ‘Don’t be. I warned Oscar, but he’s so besotted with Christina that he didn’t care.’

‘Even so, it wasn’t the thing to do.’

‘If you’re worried about Patricia I would say that she can take care of herself. Sir Michael might think he is marrying a sweet and innocent young girl, but I would place my money on Patricia. She knows exactly what she wants, and he doesn’t know what he’s letting himself in for.’ Glorina chuckled and drained her glass of brandy. ‘Go home, Rosalind. You are the one who will face trouble. Be brave, my dear.’

Hester hurried to Rosalind’s side. ‘What is that woman saying to you, Rosie?’

‘Mind your own business, Hester Dodridge,’ Glorina said with a sarcastic smile. ‘You’ll find out soon enough, but beware, that’s all I’m saying.’

‘Come away, Rosie. Don’t take any notice of her. She’s drunk.’ Hester tugged at Rosalind’s arm.

‘I hope you’re wrong, Mrs Cottingham,’ Rosalind said wearily. ‘And I am truly sorry that your son’s evening was ruined by my sister.’

Glorina shrugged. ‘He’s marrying into a fortune, which will make life as a humble clergyman much more bearable. Being poor isn’t much fun, as you will remember, my dear. What is worse is to have wealth and then lose it all, so as I said, beware.’

‘Keep your gypsy warnings to yourself, Glorina,’ Hester said angrily. ‘You belong in a fairground, not here.’

Rosalind left them and retrieved her shawl, which she wrapped around her shoulders. She realised that she was trembling from head to foot and although she tried to ignore Glorina’s warning as the words of a drunken woman, she could not put them out of her mind.

When they arrived back at the castle Rosalind went in search of Piers, but he was nowhere to be found. She saw a sliver of light beneath the library door but when she went inside she found Walter, half asleep at the desk in the centre of the room.

‘Have you seen Piers?’ Rosalind demanded anxiously.

He blinked and yawned. ‘No. I thought he was with you. How did the evening go?’

‘Terribly, if you must know, but that’s another story. Piers didn’t come with us because a messenger brought him a document that he insisted he needed to read. He promised that he would join us but he didn’t arrive.’