To the Earl’s surprise, there was also champagne, instead of the claret they had been drinking every night.
“What is this?” he asked when he saw the bottle standing in the ice-cooler that Samala had brought to the table.
“When I saw my doctor,” Maureen answered, “he said that he thought the claret had done me a great deal of good and I could return to a lighter drink. As I do not like still white wine and find it rather acid, on his instructions I have chosen to drink champagne and you must tell me if you think my choice is a good one.”
She spoke so ingenuously that the suspicion died in the Earl’s eyes and, without saying any more, he opened the bottle and filled their glasses.
When dinner was over and her father had eaten it without comment, although the dishes were delicious and con
