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At last Eliza could climb into bed and sleep.

Her candle illuminated with a flickering light the two portraits of her parents on the table beside her and she gazed at them in turn, wondering how strangers could be so imbued with emotion that they seemed completely familiar, as if she had known them for ever.

Mr Fox, who had accompanied her through life, sat faded yet alert between them, his beady black eyes seeming to twinkle in the guttering flame.

She lay down on the mound of pillows and placed her hand on all three symbols of her family and gave a silent prayer.

Help me, dear God, to do best what must be done .

She blew out the candle and within minutes was asleep.

* * *

The next morning the household was up early.

Everyone but Corinna was travelling to Mr Shilton’s house that day and there was a festive atmosphere.

Lord Purfoy had elected to drive his racing curricle for the sheer pleasure of it, with Taz up behind him organising the tolls on the way.

Ferdinand Shilton, Alick Wolfe, Zadoc Flynn and Eliza and Polly were sharing the legendary Shilton travelling coach.

When it drew up in stately splendour outside the Wolfes’ house, Eliza happened to be gazing out of the window.

She gasped at the sight of the vast glossy carriage, shaped like a boat and still swaying, even once the wheels had stopped moving, so deep were its springs.

It was drawn by a team of six beautiful, matched bay horses with a postilion riding on the lead horse.

Despite her anxieties about her duplicitous role in what was to come, Eliza felt her own spirits rise. An adventure was about to begin!

Mr Flynn and Alick Wolfe climbed into the ship first, carrying a barley scone each and a flask of brandy.

Their valets had travelled ahead in Lord Purfoy’s chaise with their masters’ luggage.

Polly accompanied Eliza in a show of decorum as she was sharing the carriage with three men.

The women climbed in and settled themselves in the extravagantly padded and buttoned interior.

‘I’ve never seen such a grand conveyance!

’ Eliza said, stroking the emerald green satin.

‘Mr Shilton truly knows how to travel in comfort and style. I almost expect him to have outriders blowing their horns.’ She laughed with the ludicrous pleasure of such ostentatious luxury.

Zadoc Flynn looked at her quizzically and said, ‘I wonder if I should order myself such a carriage. It would certainly create a stir back home.’

Ferdinand Shilton lived just a stroll away and had yet to arrive. His coachman was on the driving seat ready to go, with the Shilton valet beside him. All awaited their master.

Alick grumbled, ‘It’s not like Ferdy to be late. Rav, yes, but Ferdy’s so punctual.’

Just at that moment a cheerful if rather pale face appeared at the window.

‘Apologies, ladies.’ Mr Shilton climbed in and settled himself between Alick and Mr Flynn.

He lifted his silver-topped cane and rapped on the roof and the great equipage moved off, much to the excitement of two small boys who were passing with their hoops and stopped to watch, faces agog.

‘Ferdy, you look a trifle haggard. Did you overdo it at the club last night?’ Alick had placed a hand on his friend’s knee. Eliza had never seen Mr Shilton look less than rosy with health and bonhomie and he did indeed appear pale and fragile, with shadows under his eyes.

Ferdinand Shilton yawned and answered his friend, ‘Kind of you to be concerned, Al, but I was first of all at Lady Ogbourne’s rout in Berkeley Square. Such a dull affair. But the night was much improved by bumping into your sister, Miss Gray.’

Eliza looked across at him, surprised and pleased that Miss Fairley should publicly claim their connection. ‘I’m surprised she was there. She professes to disdain such society gatherings.’

‘Well, she certainly looked pretty unimpressed. She was reading a book in the window embrasure. Miss Fairley was most amusing, relating stories on the dizzy-eyed matrons and their artless daughters, clustering round the few eligible men.’

Eliza laughed. ‘She’s suffered through three Seasons and no doubt recognises the type.’

Zadoc Flynn was slouched half asleep in the corner of the coach. He stirred to add with a snort of derision, ‘What I’ve seen of the London Season is a damn sight more entertaining than the social scene in New York. Prettier women too.’ His eyes met Eliza’s before she looked away.

Ferdinand Shilton interrupted with a laugh. ‘Don’t go judging all English women by the example of Miss Gray. As her sister said to me, she’s the ne plus ultra of feminine beauty. After she’d explained that she meant the peak of feminine beauty, I could only agree.’

Eliza was both embarrassed and surprised. ‘Mr Shilton, you’re exaggerating; she didn’t say that!’

‘Yes, she did, and she also said you were the bravest woman she knew. Has she seen you ride at the Prebbles Flying Circus?’

Eliza had coloured and mumbled, ‘No, she hasn’t. Only you and Taz have seen me perform.’

Alick was kind and perceptive and he intervened with a laugh, ‘Ferdy, stop your yammering. You’re boring us and embarrassing Miss Gray.’ Changing the subject, he said, ‘I’m surprised to see Purfoy up so early, racing his curricle down to Epsom at first light.’

Eliza withdrew The Corsair from her reticule, and began to read it again, determined this time to learn the epic off by heart so that it would be with her always.

But as she listened to the men’s conversation, her concentration slipped from the words in front of her to the thought of a dark lord as he drove down alone with his finest horses, headed for the wilderness of Epsom Downs and the annual gladiatorial combat.

Lord Purfoy was almost as mysterious and fascinating to his male friends as he was to her.

Ferdinand Shilton said, ‘Rav is a law unto himself. I think he has a wager with a friend about who would arrive first. Al, did you see him at White’s last night? ’

Alick responded with a frown. ‘He was deep in play with that hell-begotten dog, Davenport, although that blackguard now insists on being called Bathwick in recognition of his new inheritance. That’s your family name, isn’t it, Miss Gray?’

He looked across at Eliza who nodded. ‘Not that the family wished to recognise me.’

‘Well, you’d think Rav was out to avenge you!’ Alick continued with some admiration in his voice. ‘Ye gods! I’ve never seen him as concentrated, grim and stone-cold sober.’ He glanced across at Eliza.

Zadoc Flynn muttered sleepily from his corner, ‘Don’t know why everyone’s so impressed with him. To me he’s just an arrogant nobleman who has earned neither his title nor fortune.’

Alick chuckled. ‘Come now, Zadoc. It’s your father who earned your millions, so that’s a bit rich coming from you.’

The coach had passed through the villages surrounding London and was travelling down ancient drovers’ roads sunk between grassy banks with green hills rolling away to the horizon.

Ferdinand Shilton sat forward, pointing to the middle distance where sheep were grazing in the shade of a stand of trees.

‘Do you see that large clump of mighty oak? That is Shilton land and it means we will be at Nonsuch Place in fifteen minutes.’ All the occupants of the carriage leaned forward, alert and expectant.

After following a long driveway meandering through meadows filled with wildflowers and then over a stream, they caught a glimpse of the great house.

Nonsuch Place shimmered in the afternoon light, its tall Elizabethan chimneys dominant against the pale blue sky.

The lacy stonework framed a mosaic of glittering panes of glass that looked like jewels reflecting the sun.

Eliza stuck her head out of the window to better see.

‘Mr Shilton, this is the most beautiful building in the land.’ Her eyes were round with amazement.

Ferdinand Shilton, born in Nonsuch’s great ducal bedchamber, had never called anywhere else home so was always pleasantly surprised when friends were awestruck on seeing his ancestral house for the first time.

He smiled as they all climbed from the carriage and stretched their legs, gazing up at the grand front looming above them.

The lush parkland, dotted with ancient spreading oak trees, rolled away on all sides.

The whole place was beautifully kept with an atmosphere of opulent calm.

Eliza walked into the soaring hallway. Everything sparkled, from the central chandelier with a hundred candles to the windows spilling late afternoon light.

Most country houses were left with minimum staff when their owners and the rest of the servants headed for London and the Season.

Ferdinand Shilton, however, was keen on upholding tradition and had the means to do so, keeping two complete sets of staff in his town house and his country mansion.

Thus, walking into Nonsuch during the Season, his guests were greeted not by dust motes and the musty smell of damp, but by warmth, light, cleanliness and the fragrant scent of burning apple wood in the many fire grates.

‘Ferdy, this house never fails with its warm welcome.’ Alick clapped his friend on the back.

‘My housekeeper, Mrs Plover, will show you your rooms. Tea, cake and burgundy in the library in half an hour?’

Mrs Plover was a handsome woman with a large upholstered bosom and an imperious air.

She led Eliza up the wide oak staircase to the first floor and pointed to a bedroom as large as a ballroom.

‘That’s the master’s room.’ Then crossing the landing, she led Eliza into a beautiful room lined with blue silk and almost as large. ‘This was Mr Shilton’s mother’s room.’