It was a short drive from Berkeley Square to the huge gold-tipped gates of Devonshire House in Piccadilly and inside a company of the Duke’s closest friends were assembled.
The Duchess had insisted that the party was to be a complete surprise, but Elfa could not help thinking that the Duke must have been aware that something was up when he could see the house decorated with flowers and then endless Fairy-lights being erected in the garden and Chinese lanterns hanging from the trees.
It was, however, difficult to think about the Duke of Devonshire when she found herself being introduced to one after another of Silvanus’s friends.
At first they regarded her curiously and then as far as the men were concerned paid her extravagant compliments, which she hoped that her husband appreciated.
