Chapter FourThe ladies came out of the dining room and Pepita, who came last, thought that she would slip away.
As usual the Duchess had ignored her and deliberately had not introduced her to the guests at dinner.
Some of them were staying in the house, but the rest had seemed somewhat astonished when the Duchess made no effort to explain who Pepita was.
It was left to Torquil, who as usual was pouring oil on troubled waters, who said to an elderly and obviously grand lady,
“I don’t think you have met Alistair’s sister-in-law, who brought his children here after he died.”
Instantly there was a look of interest and curiosity in the Dowager’s eyes and after that everybody in the party whom Pepita had not met already wanted to talk to her.
She thought the way that they spoke so warmly o
