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him, and his face was pale, weary.
    ‘I am sorry. Of course you are uncomfortable. Don’t trouble about this, please.’
    ‘I do trouble.’
    She sat opposite him. He asked where she hadbeen.
    ‘Being patient while Adèle Hemmings’s aunt shouted at me about fallen women. Why is it that those who cannot hear well themselves believe the rest of us are stone deaf too?’
    He smiled. ‘Fallen women?’
    ‘Adèle Hemmings’s aunt is extremely rich.’
    ‘Ah–the Committee …’
    ‘But it was all a great mistake. I should never have gone. I had to shout my head off trying to explain what it was allabout, and then be harangued for an hour about Jezebel. It would have been a good deal more satisfactory if I had been appealing for money to rescue fallen cats. Really, the house does smell so.’
    ‘Perhaps Adèle Hemmings’s aunt has lost her olfactory sense too. We must be charitable, Georgiana.’
    ‘There, you are laughing now, so that is better.’
    ‘You are very brave to go off on your fund-raising.Brave altogether, in such a cause.’
    ‘Not brave, no. But we are so needed.’
    ‘So I realise. It is all a great pity.’
    ‘Well. Shall I ask Alice to bring in a glass of madeira? I feel I need to be warmed.’ She reached for the bell. ‘And you were home earlier than I had expected.’
    ‘Yes. A pupil did not arrive. I was already concerned about him, he sent no excuse or apology. I left a message in hisrooms. The servant seemed to think he had gone home rather suddenly.’
    ‘Some family matter then?’
    ‘He is supposed to ask for leave of absence. But he has been disturbed, I know. Well, I shall have to get to the bottom of it.’
    Alice came in with the tray. Thomas spoke at once.
    ‘Alice, I must apologise for my curtness earlier. Of course it was not your fault.’
    Georgiana waited for some momentsafter the door had closed, before saying, ‘Thank you. That was the right thing to do.’
    They sipped the sweet, dark wine. She was about to tell him some remark of Adèle Hemmings’s aunt, when he said quietly, ‘I want you to assure me that you will say something to her.’
    She waited.
    ‘It is intolerable, Georgiana. I will not have this . I cannot bear it – I do not – I am not interested in that woman– or in any. I do not want to be – hunted. Hounded. Above all, I do not want to think that you are in some sort of conspiracy about this – whispering, plotting, like silly young girls, behind my back. I have spoken of it before and I have listened to the things you have said. But please understand me now. I was angrier than I know how to express to you when I came in this evening.’
    ‘Yes. It waswrong of her, very wrong. Of course she should not have gone into your room. But I am sure that she meant no harm.’
    ‘We neither of us know what she meant and I do not wish to hear any reasons, or excuses. I do not wish to hear the matter mentioned again. I would just ask that you – say something – make my feelings plain. I know I can trust you to behave tactfully – to – to respect my wishes.’
    ‘Of course. It is only – oh, that I am so sorry you feel as you do. Not only about Florence but … you are my brother, I should so like to see you settled – loved. You are a good man, a …’
    But she could find no way to continue. Only said, ‘I am sorry if I have done anything to disturb you.’
    He inclined his head. ‘Let us talk no more about it. I know that you have understood. And now, you had betterhave a second glass of wine and go up to put on dry clothes.’
    Obediently, she did so.
    Old Mrs Gray played her cards wth meticulous slowness, periodically looking up from them to scrutinise her daughter’s face.
    But Florence was giving nothing away. She was only grateful for the pauses and that she was not required to think or to play quickly. She was still considerably upset.
    There is something,Mrs Gray said, something, and soon, I shall go to bed and think about what it