Once again it seemed to her that the Marquis did not even glance in her direction and that his voice when he spoke to her was icily cold. She felt her spirits sink lower and lower as the evening wore on.
The men played whist after dinner and Druscilla made polite conversation with the Agent’s wife.
She was absorbed only in her children and the works on the estate and, although Druscilla tried hard to seem interested, she was glad when the guests said that they must return home and she could say ‘goodbye’ to them.
She hoped that there would be a chance to talk to the Marquis and she knew that she had only to signal to Sir Anthony that she wished to be alone and he would leave them.
The Marquis, however, circumvented her.
“It’s about time we had a session at piquet, Anthony,” he said. “
