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Amelia could only speculate on what had occurred between Lord Thornfalcon and his sister-in-law when she all but forced herself and her daughter into his home after their encounter in the park.

If he still loved Lavinia, her behaviour could surely only cause him pain.

But whatever lay between them, which, she reminded herself, could be none of her business, it clearly had not shaken his resolve to begin his public wooing of another lady without loss of time.

This became apparent at the next assembly they both attended, which was at Almack’s that Wednesday.

He claimed her hand for the first dance, before anyone else had the opportunity to do so, and for the supper dance too.

Amelia saw a speculative gleam in her Aunt Keswick’s eye, and knew she would be having a conversation with her on the subject before long.

Her aunt had also darted a swift glance of interrogation at her old friend Judith, and must have perceived the expression of tranquil complaisance that her features bore as she and her son stood chatting civilly with the Wyvernes.

If Lord Thornfalcon was indeed interested in Lady Amelia – and perhaps it was too soon to say for certain if he was – Lady Keswick might reasonably assume that his mother at least had no objection to it.

The same could not be said of everyone. The Friends of Lavinia were present in force, standing together in little groups, bearing their silver and blue colours as badges of allegiance.

Amelia saw Miss Archer and Miss Lancaster standing prominent among them – young ladies who seemed to have conceived an instant dislike of her last Season, though she had no idea why that should be so, since they did not know her at all.

They had never made any secret of the fact that they gossiped about her with great glee, and now that they had taken up Lavinia’s cause, their enmity could only grow.

When she took Lord Thornfalcon’s outstretched hand and accompanied him to the dance floor, she thought she heard a sort of low hissing from behind her, just at the edge of her hearing.

It wasn’t a pleasant sound, but she did not turn to see from whence it came; she was sure that she’d have seen nothing, apart perhaps from some angry, disapproving faces, which was no great novelty after all, and should not distress her. Had her partner heard it too?

‘I suppose this sort of thing was what you were referring to when you said that I might need courage,’ she said to him when the steps of the country dance brought them together for a moment, then apart, then together again: a frustrating situation in which to attempt to converse.

‘Not really. I cannot blame you for not liking it, but I don’t see what they can do to hurt you.’

‘Other than gossip about me? But you will say that I must be accustomed to that.’

‘I know it is hard, but I suppose we both should be by now.’

She could only acknowledge the truth of this.

If things seemed worse for her than they had been before, she only had herself to blame.

She’d wanted to make things happen, and already there was no denying that she had.

And Lavinia’s supporters might be noisy and conspicuous, but they were not the true arbiters of society. She hoped.

‘What’s next?’

‘I believe I take you driving in the park. That will be a true statement of intent. And tell me, ma’am, have you been persecuted by the unwelcome attentions of over-eager suitors this evening?’

‘We’ve only just arrived.’ It was true, but as the evening wore on, she began to see a difference.

Almack’s had always been one of the safer places for her during this Season and the last; it might be notoriously dull as far as entertainment went, but the fearsome patronesses denied vouchers to many of her more disreputable admirers, and thus protected her from insult somewhat.

Still, Mr Peacock, who was the son and heir of a baron, was here, and one or two others of his kind, and yet they did not approach her on this occasion.

Others did, men of an unexceptionable nature for once; her dance card was soon almost full, and Lady Keswick was visibly delighted.

This, it was plain, was at last the Season she had envisaged for her niece.

Amelia said as much when she and Lord Thornfalcon were reunited for their next dance.

There was no hissing this time; perhaps the Friends were regrouping and considering their next move.

It would be idle to hope that they had accepted the situation so easily.

‘You were right, sir, though I do not know how you knew. My hands remained unsqueezed, nobody has slobbered over them yet, nor even attempted to look down my bodice. If the change comes from a mere dance or two with you, I must thank you for it.’

‘Is that the sort of thing they do?’ he asked her. His face was quite grim, unsuited for the bright lights and cheerful sounds of the ballroom, but then he never had the most cheerful of miens. Perhaps he had been different once, she thought.

‘When they’re not trying to get me alone on a terrace, or in some quiet corridor. There is little chance of that here, of course. The patronesses would not stand for it, and they are not to be trifled with. And so my brother Rafe and his wife were not obliged to accompany us tonight.’

‘I can see why you resolved to do something to improve your unendurable situation. And if it’s helping already, I am glad. At least some good has come out of all this.’

‘And your situation?’

He was silent for a few moments, frowning still as they parted and came together again.

He was an excellent dancer, though his expression was scarcely such as to convince any of his many admirers that he was halfway to falling in love with her and dizzy with the joy of it.

But his focus on her was intent, nonetheless.

Nobody could doubt that he was listening to her with the utmost seriousness.

She could be quite sure that Lavinia, who didn’t seem to be here, would hear of it tomorrow from a dozen directions.

‘My situation remains unchanged for now, as far as the attentions I am receiving are concerned. A young lady fell from her horse in the park early this morning, just in my path, and I was obliged to pick her up; luckily, she was not seriously hurt, for she was a very poor horsewoman to be playing off such dangerous tricks, and might easily have broken her neck. She was not at all happy that I refused to accompany her home, but left her groom to do it. There will be nothing worse than bruises to show for her adventure, and perhaps she at least will not trouble me again. But have you seen the latest print?’

‘I must confess that I have not.’

‘My friend Gastrell was at pains to show it to me this morning; he appears to derive some pleasure from the exercise. It features our trip to the theatre. No, do not worry, you are not to be recognised in it, but an enormous number of young ladies are attempting to clamber into my box from the pit, while I stand there besieged as usual; they climb on each other’s shoulders in their eagerness.

I dare say you can picture it. The action on the stage has quite ceased, and the actors stand in consternation.

Perhaps I might be amused by it, were I not the subject.

It seems to me a deal of artistry and skill expended in a worthless cause. ’

Amelia did not ask His Lordship if the print featured his sister-in-law, looking on in disapprobation at the scene; it seemed likely that it did.

She still did not know him well enough to feel confident of discussing the matter with him, especially not tonight when he was looking so forbidding and unapproachable.

They ate their stale cake and drank their lemonade together, under dozens of unfriendly pairs of eyes, which did not conduce to the flow of easy conversation, and shortly thereafter, she and Lady Keswick prepared to depart.

‘I shall be sternly quizzed about you in the carriage; you may be sure of it,’ she whispered to Lord Thornfalcon as they took their leave of each other. He was so serious tonight that some sudden mischievous impulse prompted her to tease him for a reaction. Did the man’s face never soften?

‘I would rather face a cavalry charge by cuirassiers than be interviewed by your aunt,’ he responded with the first gleam of humour she had seen from him all evening.

‘She terrifies me; with that great beak of a nose, she might easily be Lord Wellington done up in a diamond parure and long gloves. Good luck!’

She was smiling to herself still as the door closed on them and the vehicle rattled into motion. Making Lord Thornfalcon betray amusement, possibly against his will, felt like a small triumph, though she wasn’t certain why it should.

‘Well, Niece,’ Lady Keswick said majestically, ‘it seems that the Major is growing somewhat particular in his attentions. I believe that you only made his acquaintance a few days ago, and yet here we are, proceeding with some haste. The first dance, and then the supper dance, and at Almack’s too, which is so vulgarly – but I must admit with justice – termed the marriage mart.

He is of a ripe age to marry and presumably a man of some worldly experience, so I must assume he knows what he is about, to take such actions in such a public place. But do you?’

‘What do you mean, ma’am?’ Amelia was playing for time, for she had a fair idea of what these words of caution signified. But she must tread carefully here.

‘It is right that you should be reserved on such a delicate subject, and I do not criticise you for it. Your behaviour so far in regard to him has been unexceptionable.’ Amelia felt a pang of guilt at these words of praise, which she could hardly think she deserved, but said nothing in response beyond a murmur of thanks.

‘Hmm. Keep your counsel still, if you wish. But if Lord Thornfalcon means to offer for you, and your brother approves it – which I cannot doubt he would – you will do well to think seriously before you accept him.’

‘It is a good match, in worldly terms,’ she said equivocally.

‘Yes, of course it is, child, and not just because of his title. You are not a fool, and you know that you would not care be one of those women who can call herself Viscountess but has nothing else to show for it but a draughty castle in the middle of nowhere. And I do not speak only of his wealth. They are a good family, an excellent connection, as I believe I have said to you before. I know much to the young man’s credit and nothing to his discredit, apart from this mawkish story that his brother’s widow is putting about, and the tawdry gossip that it has engendered.

But it would be foolish to ignore the whispers, nonetheless. ’

‘He cannot intend to marry her, ma’am, surely.

We have discussed this before, and his actions this evening alone suggest that he does not.

You must be correct in thinking that there is a great deal of nonsense in all the gossip, as there so often is.

’ It was impossible, Amelia found in this moment, to do anything other than converse with her aunt on the topic of her possible marriage with the utmost gravity, quite as though it were all real and not pretend.

‘Indeed. I hope he is not making use of you to send that woman a message, for though his position is undeniably awkward and one must sympathise with it, that would not be the behaviour of an honourable man.’

It would be rash to underestimate the older woman’s shrewdness.

And what to say in response? ‘I do not think that he would do so. Why me? He must know that my reputation is… more fragile than that of other ladies. Given that, it would be cruel to trifle with me, and I have no reason to think him cruel.’

‘You do not know him. Do not forget that. I am not sure a woman knows a man until she has been married to him for five years, or ten, and then, of course, it is far too late to mend matters without a great deal of trouble.’

Amelia blinked at this unexpected cynicism, which shed an unfortunate light on her aunt’s own marriage, or perhaps on her view of the world.

‘But I agree. I think we can expect him to call on Wyverne in a short while. Though I am not in general a believer in hasty engagements, these are not circumstances in which I would recommend a protracted courtship. If you feel you can overlook the stories that are put about concerning his improper relations with his late brother’s wife, and it seems to me from what you have said that you can, I would advise you to marry him as soon as it can be arranged.

It will be safer that way,’ she finished cryptically.

‘You question Lady Thornfalcon’s intentions? Obviously, I don’t mean his mother.’

‘Quite obviously you do not, child. And I have said enough, I think.’ Lady Keswick would not be further drawn, and soon Amelia was at home, in bed, pondering the events of the evening, which kept her from sleep for a surprisingly long time.