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out of a stone. I never did find out who he was. You were very clever at keeping your mystery boyfriend out of the way.’
    ‘Because I knew exactly what would happen if you andFather got involved.’ Harriet’s dark Tolliver eyes flashed.
    ‘And it did.’
    ‘But you’re over all that now, surely!’
    ‘Oh, definitely. He’s right out of my league these days.’ Harriet smiled sweetly. ‘He’s now the head of the Live Wires Group, the one paying Father good money to hire River House for a party tomorrow.’
    ‘Good God, are you
serious
?’ Miriam stared, thunderstruck. ‘Aubrey actually agreed to this?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Has he met the man?’
    ‘Yes. James came here to consult with him about the party, announced his name and shook my father’s hand. But I’d taken good care that Father never knew his name back then. As far as he’s concerned, James Crawford is just the man paying lovely money for the privilege of hiring the Wilde family home. Father’s even accepted an invitation to the party tomorrow night.’
    Miriam shook her head in wonder. ‘When are you going to tell him?’
    ‘I’m not planning to tell him. He’ll find out in due course. Not that it will matter if—when—he does. He signed a contract, and most of the money has already been paid into a separate business account only I can draw on for the upkeep of River House,’ Harriet said with satisfaction. ‘Julia is in full support on this.’
    ‘That’s new. You girls have never been close.’
    ‘Julia, at least, had a change of heart when she discovered the situation was so desperate. She even sent me a dress to wear tomorrow night.’
    ‘In her line of business it probably didn’t cost her anything,’ Miriam muttered.
    ‘But she thought of it, and it didn’t cost me anything, either.’
    Miriam got up. ‘I’ve got a good mind to go up to Aubrey right now and ask him what he meant by letting things get so much out of hand—’
    ‘He’s out and won’t be home until late,’ said Harriet hastily.
    ‘As usual! I’ll be off, then, and let you get to bed. Sleep late for once in the morning so you look your best tomorrow night. Though I’m surprised you agreed to go.’
    ‘I need to keep an eye on things.’
    ‘Or are you still hankering after this man?’ Miriam asked shrewdly.
    ‘As it happens, I’m not.’ Harriet smiled sweetly. ‘But, even if I were, it would be my choice to do so, Godmother. I’m not nineteen any more.’
    Miriam shook her head sadly. ‘You’re an unforgiving soul.’
    ‘As Father has long since discovered.’

CHAPTER FIVE
    H ARRIET’S plan to get up late next morning was foiled by traffic passing under her bedroom window with deliveries for the party. At last she gave up and got dressed, read the morning paper over breakfast, walked up to the terrace to watch operations afterwards, and found her father doing the same thing.
    ‘Good morning, Harriet.’
    ‘Good morning. I thought you might have been down there on the lawn directing operations.’
    ‘I did that when they installed the marquee. I shan’t put my nose in with the catering people. It’s a formal dinner, thank God.’
    Harriet’s eyebrows rose. ‘What else did you expect?’
    ‘A chap at the club told me that on top of his daughter’s wedding breakfast he had to provide a fish and chip van and a burger bar later on for the younger set.’ Aubrey grimaced. ‘But Crawford seems too civilised for that kind of thing.’
    They watched the activity down below as the caterers set up their mobile kitchen, and the ‘facilities’ James had mentioned were discreetly stationed behind the row of trees on the far side of the lawn. Harriet tensed as a familiar car came up the drive to park near them, and James got out, followed by Lily, who came running towards Harriet, smiling eagerly.
    ‘I hope you don’t mind. When James said he was coming to check we made him bring us too. Good morning, I’m Lily Graveney,’ she added, holding