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what Farnsworth tells me—that Princess Caroline arrived this afternoon and the Prince of Wales actually sent Lady Jersey to meet her?’
    Kester looked at his brother-in-law, who shrugged. ‘That’s what I heard, Severn. Seems a mad start, but who knows? Prinny can be such a fool at times.’
    ‘I cannot think why you should say such a thing,’ snapped the dowager. ‘Lady Jersey is a particular friend of mine, and I am sure she is a most fitting person to greet the princess. Why! She is the daughter of a bishop!’
    In the light of Sophia’s presence, Kester could hardly point out that, as the Prince of Wales’s mistress, Lady Jersey was hardly living up to her ecclesiastical origins.
    Guy, however, laughed. ‘For God’s sake, Mama! She’s Prinny’s mistress, and everyone knows it! Smack in the eye for the bride though. Wonder what she’s like? And can he marry her after Mrs Fitzherbert?’
    ‘Guy!’ Kester rapped it out.
    His brother scowled. ‘Oh, don’t be so stuffy, Severn! Everyone suspects he actually married Mrs Fitzherbert.’
    Kester caught his wife’s gaze. She looked stunned. No, unfamiliar with his world, she might not have known. But she probably knew he’d been at the palace this afternoon. Would she say something about that?
    ‘Poor Princess Caroline, if it is all true,’ she said quietly. Her eyes met his searchingly.l Kester swallowed. Dammit. Did she think he would insult her like that? Take a mistress when without her he would have lost everything?
    ‘Well, it’s not as though he can possibly be in love with her,’ said Sophia indifferently. ‘It’s an arranged marriage. Everyone knows that !’
    He opened his mouth to scarify Sophie, but his wife was speaking again.
    ‘I dare say such things are common,’ she said. ‘That does not make them right. And he could still be polite, even if he does have a mistress.’ Kester blinked at the suddenly fierce note in her voice. ‘She has come all this way, to a strange land to live amongst strangers,’ she went on, ‘away from her family and friends. How hard can it be for a prince to be polite? And…and kind!’ Her chin went up a notch. ‘Even in an arranged marriage, courtesy is important.’
    The marquise nodded. ‘ Exactement! Why, when la Reine Marie-Antoinette came to France, le dauphin was most gracious to her. As befitted his breeding.’
    Kester had an odd feeling that his wife was not thinking about the martyred French queen. Sometimes you did not have to cross seas or continents to find yourself in regions marked Here Be Dragons.

Chapter Eight
    Linnet heaved a mental sigh of relief when the conversation veered from the prince’s impending marriage. Since it was only a family affair they used the small dining parlour and were seated at a round table so the talk could range freely.
    She made several efforts to coax Lady Sophia out of her sulks, asking about the plans for her Season next year, but received the most gloomy of replies, amidst bitter glances at the pearls. Sophia expected hardly to enjoy herself at all—how could one, when everyone knew how low they were sunk? She would be unlikely to receive as much as a single offer! Since Linnet was aware that a decent dowry had been set aside for Sophia, she knew this was nonsense, unless of course the dowry was not sufficient to compensate for Lady Sophia’s petulance.
    Lord Guy was not much better. He supposed he was enjoying town. Not much fun when a fellow was kept so dashed short though. And of course, being in mourning a fellow couldn’t do much. Still it was better than being down at Camley Priory. And he had been put on to a sure thing just yesterday, if only Kester would oblige! Not as though he was short!
    Linnet noted that Lord Guy kept his voice low enough that his remarks did not carry to the other side of the table. She also rather thought that although Lord Farnsworth was chatting with his wife across the table, they were both very much aware of the