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have the necessary qualifications to be a governess,’ said Harriet. ‘I have not had experience of running a large establishment and so I am not trained as a housekeeper.’
    ‘There are other jobs,’ pointed out Lord Charles.
    ‘Yes, I could be a chambermaid or washerwoman. There are very few jobs open to women. Doctors and lawyers are all men. Preachers are men. Even our stay-makers are men.’
    Effy let out a faint scream.
    He leaned back in his chair and idly stroked the cat and studied her. ‘I made my money by gambling on the Stock Exchange,’ he said. ‘You say you have a small dowry. I could show you how to put that to use.’
    ‘That small dowry, my lord, is in my aunt’s possession and will not be released by her or her lawyers until the marriage settlements are signed.’
    ‘So you have no assets?’
    ‘Only myself, my lord, and that is already on the market.’
    This was going too far. Amy glared at Harriet. ‘Miss Brown,’ she said severely. ‘I do not like correcting you in front of a guest, but I must point out that your speech is too free. You will give Lord Charles a disgust of you.’
    ‘But my only interest in Lord Charles is the welfare of the cat; you know that,’ pointed out Harriet. ‘And
his
only interest in me is to get shot of the cat.’
    Effy let out a faint bleating noise.
    ‘On the contrary,’ said Lord Charles with easy gallantry. ‘I came to renew my acquaintance with a lady whose face and charm of manner so attracted me on our first meeting.’
    Harriet’s eyes lit up with amusement. ‘How prettily you do it,’ she said. ‘But such fustian!’
    ‘How true,’ said Lord Charles with a wicked smile. ‘But as I shall still want to know how the cat fares, I shall beg permission to take you driving on the morrow.’
    ‘I don’t . . .’ began Amy but fell silent as Harriet held up one hand.
    ‘Let me think,’ Harriet said severely.
    Her eyes assessed Lord Charles and Lord Charles smiled sweetly at her and wondered what on earth she was thinking.
    Harriet was turning over in her mind the problem of how best to help the Tribbles with their love life. Lord Charles was a man, a man who went to clubs and talked to other men and who might be persuaded to drop an encouraging word in Mr Haddon’s ear, or Mr Randolph’s, for that matter. He appeared amiable enough.
    ‘Yes, I should like that very much,’ said Harriet. ‘Shall we say three o’clock?’
    ‘Five o’clock is the fashionable hour, Miss Brown.’
    ‘But my desire for your company is not fashionable,’ said Harriet.
    For one mad moment, he wondered whether Miss Brown was flirting with him.
    ‘May I hope it is a flattering interest?’
    ‘No, you may not, my lord. I am ever practical.’
    ‘Then I look forward to tomorrow.’ He lifted the cat, which protested sleepily, and set it down on the floor. ‘Stay there, Tom,’ he said. ‘Your new home.’
    He rose and bowed, first to the Tribbles and then to Harriet.
    He strolled down the stairs. The cat shot after him and, with a flying leap, landed on his shoulder and clung on like grim death.
    Harriet leaned over the banister on the landing as Lord Charles tried to prize the cat loose.
    ‘Tom appears very attached to you, my lord.’
    Lord Charles got the cat free and set it on the stair. It began to tremble and let out a pathetic wail.
    He sighed and scooped it up and put it in his muff.
    ‘I had better take it, Miss Brown,’ he said ruefully. ‘It might have a seizure.’
    ‘Which all goes to show,’ said Harriet triumphantly after the street door had closed behind him, ‘that there is good in everyone.’
    ‘I have never heard such a load of soiled garters,’ shouted Amy. ‘You sat there as cool as cucumbers, telling that fribble you were on the market and you hadn’t much money. No one will want you if you go around making speeches like that, not even a minister, particularly not a minister. And why waste time going out driving with a