Thalia was never quite certain what the real source of the quarrel was in the first place, although she suspected it concerned a woman.
Whatever it was, it resulted in Sir Denzil being involved in a duel, his opponent being a Statesman of considerable stature.
They met at dawn in St James’s Park and Lady Caversham was not told of what was happening until the duel was over.
Not that she could have done anything to prevent it because a challenge once given and accepted involved the honour of the participants and there was no going back.
The first thing Thalia knew about it was when she went into her mother’s room to bid her good morning and Lady Caversham said,
“I cannot imagine what has happened, Thalia. When I woke, your father was not here. It is not like him to leave the house witho
