Sheer Folly by Carola Dunn Page B

are sealed. Actually, it’d be more to the point to tell Lady Beaufort.”
    â€œWhy don’t you?”
    â€œCatch me!” said Lucy, in a rare descent into vulgarity. “You do it.”
    â€œNot likely! What about Sir Desmond, did he know?”
    â€œOh, Daisy, what does it matter? No one was hurt, and in any case, I told you, I was joking when I said Rhino was pushed. Though I must say, if I’d been close enough, I’d have been awfully tempted.”

 
ELEVEN
    Bright sun
streamed through the window of Daisy’s bedroom when Lucy flung back the curtains next morning.
    â€œGet up. It’s a glorious day.”
    â€œWhat time is it?” Daisy mumbled, screwing her eyes tight shut.
    â€œBreakfast-time. Come on, darling, we daren’t miss a moment of this sunshine. It could be snowing by midday.”
    â€œI can write perfectly well in snow.”
    â€œBut I can’t take photos, as you know very well. Besides, you wouldn’t want to walk along that path in snow, would you?”
    â€œNor in rain, come to that, which is much more likely.”
    â€œIn any case, even if it’s shining the sun will be all wrong later.”
    â€œRight-oh, I’m on my way.”
    â€œFifteen minutes, or I’ll be back to fetch you,” Lucy threatened.
    â€œHave a heart! Twenty. Now buzz off and let me get dressed in peace.”
    When Daisy went down, she encountered Barker crossing the entrance hall with a silver coffee-pot on a tray.
    â€œThe breakfast parlour is that way, madam, second door on the left. May I venture to enquire as to whether madam has suffered any ill-effects from last night’s—ah—adventures?”
    â€œNot at all, thank you, Barker. The hot bath and cocoa were just what was required. Do you know how Lady Ottaline is faring? She had the worst of it.”
    â€œI understand her ladyship desires to remain abed this morning, madam, but Sir Desmond does not consider it necessary to send for a medical attendant.”
    â€œThank you, Barker.”
    â€œDoes madam prefer anything in particular for breakfast? Tea or coffee?”
    â€œTea, please. Indian. For the rest, I’ll take what’s going.”
    â€œVery good, madam.”
    In the breakfast parlour, Daisy found Lucy with Pritchard, Howell, and Armitage. None of the other ladies had yet put in an appearance. Pritchard bustled about seating her, helping her from the buffet.
    â€œWill you try a little Welsh ham, Mrs. Fletcher? You’ve likely not eaten it before. We cure a leg of mutton instead of pork, you know, Wales having the most flavoursome mutton in the world. I believe you’ll find it tasty.”
    â€œThank you, do give me a slice.” Daisy glanced at Lucy to see if she was indulging in Welsh ham, but she was sticking to her usual coffee and toast. “You’re very patriotic, Mr. Pritchard. I’m surprised you ever left Wales to come and live in England.”
    â€œThat was my father’s doing. He started the firm in Wales, just when people were beginning to want indoor plumbing. As it grew, he found most of his sales were in England and it was more practical to have the factory here. That’s when Owen’s father, my wife’s brother-in-law, invested in the company, which made the move to Swindon possible. My da made the right choice. We’ve continued to prosper. Then Appsworth Hall came on the market just when I was thinking of leaving the day-to-day business to Owen. Glenys wanted to move out of the town, so here we are—or rather,” he said sadly, “here I am.”
    â€œI hope your wife had a chance to enjoy living here.”
    â€œWe had a couple of good years before I lost her, thank you kindly.”
    Daisy was itching to find out what had become of the Appsworth family. However, she didn’t think it proper to ask the man who had profited, however legitimately, from their