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A wicked grin flashed across Taz’s face. ‘Ah, ’is lordship’s not risen from ’is bed until eleven o’clock. ’E won’t know what we do. The prancers are my concern.’

When she returned to the breakfast room, Eliza was taken aback at the sight of a man she had not met.

He was sitting in the sun reading the newspaper, a cup of coffee steaming at his elbow.

When he looked up, she met sky blue eyes in the face of a Renaissance angel, his golden hair tousled in a halo round his head.

He stood up and smiled, surprised to see her too.

‘Good morning.’ He took her hand. ‘I’m a friend of the Wolfes, Ferdinand Shilton. I live just down the road.’

Eliza stopped herself sweeping him a curtsey and instead bowed her head in acknowledgement. ‘Good morning, sir. I’m Miss Eliza. I’m afraid I can’t remember the rest of my name.’ She blushed.

‘Mrs Wolfe told me you had been run over by Raven Purfoy’s curricle last night. I’m sorry. He’s such a bang-up driver, he must have been deep in his cups.’

He motioned to a chair for her to sit and then walked to the door to find a chaperone.

He returned with Polly who settled in the window seat carrying a lace tablecloth she was mending.

Ferdy Shilton took his seat and sipped his coffee, his candid blue eyes on Eliza’s face.

‘Before Alick married Mrs Wolfe, Lord Purfoy, Mr Wolfe and I would meet for breakfast under my roof, but now the Wolfe house has become the meeting place for us all.’

‘Mr and Mrs Wolfe have been very kind to take me in.’ Eliza felt comfortable in his presence, even though she had never before seen such a finely dressed man in her life; she gazed on his sky blue coat tailored to perfection, widening his shoulders and emphasising his slender waist. Suddenly she was aware how hungry she was and helped herself to some toast.

‘You’ve lost your memory, I’ve heard. Dashed rum do, that.

Don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t remember where my home was, who my friends were.

’ Ferdinand Shilton’s eyes clouded with the thought of how much he had to lose.

’Worst of all, what my name was! Dammit!

’ He glanced at her, a look of horror on his face at having sworn in front of a woman.

‘Apologies, Miss Eliza, but losing your family name, that’s devilish bad. ’

At that point the door opened and another man, more panther than peacock, slipped into the room.

Eliza saw clearly for the first time the man who had run her down in the night and was struck by just how tall and elegant he appeared.

His face had all the equine nobility she had recognised on the shadowy street, his dark eyes gleaming with some secret amusement under distinguished flyaway brows; her initial impression of his astonishing good looks was borne out in the light of day.

In an amused voice Lord Purfoy said, ‘Good morning, all. I see, Ferdy, you’ve already made the acquaintance of Miss Mysterious.

’ He approached Eliza, his eyes narrowed.

‘Now let me see how that wound is healing.’ Feeling shy in his presence, she uncoiled her plaits and without touching her, he peered at her crown.

‘Mmm. Not too bad.’ Then looking back to Ferdinand Shilton, Lord Purfoy continued, ‘This young miss sprang in front of the horses. Could have broken one of ’em’s legs! ’ He sounded mildly peeved.

Mr Shilton’s chivalric nature was outraged. ‘Rav! You cracked this young lady’s crown so badly she now can’t remember who she is!’

‘Mmm, so she says,’ he murmured, pouring himself some coffee.

His dark eyes fell on Eliza’s face and person and their languid gaze flickered with interest for a moment.

It was the first time he had seen her cleaned of grime, and in the clear light of morning he was unsettled by the sight.

Lord Purfoy had first thought he’d run over some foolish wench but had quickly realised she was not what she seemed.

Now, before him, this young woman’s elegance of face and manner gave him pause.

‘How are you, Miss Mysterious?’ He watched her as he drank his coffee.

Eliza took a deep breath. ‘Much better, sir, thank you.’ She felt her cheeks flush and her breath come a little faster.

He unnerved her. His lordship was like a high-bred stallion whose energy was barely contained under his glossy dark coat, and yet he appeared so cool and restrained, as if nothing much ruffled his composure.

She had ridden stallions like him, quivering with tightly wound energy and she sensed that, under that carefully cultivated demeanour, Lord Purfoy’s passions were only just controlled.

Corinna swept into the room and her eyes alighted on her old friends.

‘Ferdy, Rav! What a treat. You have made the acquaintance of our guest, Miss Eliza?’ Both men had stood up to greet her and she grasped their hands and kissed them on the cheek.

‘I’m just going to lend some of my clothes to Miss Eliza, so excuse us, gentlemen. ’ She smiled.

‘Don’t forget to include Ferdy’s school breeches. You’ve never looked more fetching than when you wore them, Cory.’ Raven Purfoy’s eyes glittered with mischief and humour.