CHAPTER TENAfter two days Simpson arrived home with the horses, and Elvina hurried out to the stables to meet them. She hugged Jupiter and Mars again and again, burying her face against their satin necks.
The servants were agog, eager to know from Simpson why their Mistress had returned, pale and distraught, without a word to say to anyone. But Simpson was tight-lipped, which only served to increase the speculation.
Elvina had been dreading a meeting with Margaret, which could only be awkward for both of them. But Margaret had departed, leaving a forwarding address for her belongings.
Elvina despatched them with a generous cheque. She bore Margaret no ill-will.
But it meant that now she was alone with nothing to do in the evenings but sit and brood.
The Duke’s words had struck her lik
