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Ashley and I find it strange, sir, that we should meet in this fashion.”
    Sir Richard shrugged.
    â€œLife is full of little coincidences. I am sure we would find we have acquaintances in common and this hotel is the obvious place to stop for refreshment when one is heading for Dorset from London.”
    Ravina bit her lip.
    Everything he said was true, but that did not explain his presence on horseback outside her house the night before or the fact that he had been walking past on foot later.
    Meeting twice she could perhaps accept as a coincidence, but not four times.
    â€œSo, what would your parents think of your staying overnight at Sir Michael Moore’s house?”
    Ravina felt angry.
    What right had this man to ask her such a question?
    â€œThat is none of your business, sir!” she exclaimed.
    â€œI think it is everyone’s business when a young lady seems to be placing herself in a situation that could be easily misconstrued by Society gossips.”
    He stood up and Ravina was tempted to take a step backwards. He seemed to tower over her, intimidating her with his dark eyes. But she refused to be cowed.
    She raised her chin in a stubborn gesture that her parents would have recognised only too well. Everyone who had watched Ravina growing up knew that she could be led, but never pushed.
    â€œI am quite capable of making my own decisions about my friendships,” she said, her blue eyes blazing. “We are not living in the last century when women were not allowed to have opinions of their own. I do not need any guidance from anyone – least of all a perfect stranger.”
    Sir Richard’s lips tightened into a thin white line.
    â€˜Flirting with a gentleman who has just asked you to spend a few nights under his roof tells me that you need all the guidance you can get.’
    Ravina felt her temper rising.
    She opened her mouth to snap a sharp reply, but heard voices from the other side of the room. Sir Michael was returning with the waitress.
    There was no time to tell Sir Richard exactly what she thought of him.
    She dropped the merest hint of a curtsy, turned on her heel and walked away, head high, blinking back the tears that were now threatening to fall.
    How dare he say such things about her. Why, he made it sound as if she was some flighty flibbertigibbet with no morals and no sense of how to behave.
    She could not remember when she had been so upset and angry.
    Leaving the hotel, Ravina returned to her carriage feeling hot and flustered.
    George was waiting to hand her up into the driver’s seat when common sense took over.
    She knew she was in no fit state to drive carefully. From the first day her father had allowed her to handle a horse in harness, the rules had been plain – you never allow the animals or your passengers to come to grief because of how you are feeling. All your decisions had to be made with a clear head and at the moment hers was far from that.
    â€œLady Ravina – ” George said hesitantly.
    â€˜Yes, George?’
    â€œI thought you should know, when I was at the stables, I was approached by a man askin’ if this was the Ashley carriage and if you was travellin’ in it.”
    â€˜A gentleman? A friend of mine, perhaps?’
    George shook his head.
    â€œNo, Lady Ravina, he were a servant – perhaps a footman. Seemed desperate keen to know who was travellin’ down to Dorset from Ashley House.”
    â€˜Did you tell him?’
    He looked shocked.
    â€œCertainly not, my Lady. Lord Ashley is always most insistent that we say nothin’ to no one about the family’s business.”
    â€œPerhaps he is from a newspaper. Sometimes they write articles about Papa and what he is doing. He may have been a reporter wanting Papa’s comments on some foreign story.”
    She dismissed it from her mind and told George that she would let him drive the rest of the way to Dorset.
    She climbed inside the coach and