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‘No, Mary! He cannot die. He has such important work to do. And… I love him!’ It was the first time she had said it out loud.

Mary was unperturbed and merely nodded. ‘It’s no secret, Miss Angelica.’

Her mistress continued in a voice full of emotion, ‘If he dies because of me I could not live with myself.’

‘Miss Angelica, ye’re not in a play now, don’t blame yourself. Mr Asprey’ll only do what he wishes, ye know.’

‘Help me find a way of stopping this duel, Mary.’ Angelica’s green eyes were on her maid’s face, knowing it was a vain request but she could not keep her anxiety to herself.

Mary’s mobile face was furrowed with thought. ‘Well,’ she said warily, ‘my cousin, Dan, I call him my cousin, he’s as much a foundling as me, but now a Bow Street man. But the Bow Street officers need to know where the duel will take place, and when. They also need you to flash the blunt.’

Angelica remembered the gold coins in her portmanteau and said, ‘There’s no trouble with that. But how to discover the field of combat?’ She gazed out of the window and realised they were travelling down Pall Mall, close to St James’s Square. She stood up and banged on the chaise oof and Mr Brunner brought the horses to a halt by the side of the road. His reassuring face appeared at the window and she said, ‘Apologies, Mr Brunner, but could you first of all take us to the Asprey house, in St James’s Square?’

Within a minute or so she had scrambled out, leaving Mary to wait. ‘I won’t be a moment, I just hope Miss Stafford can meet me.’ She ran up the front steps and rapped on the door.

It was opened by Goodall whose severe formality softened noticeably at the sight of her. ‘Ah, Miss Leigh. What a pleasure to see you again.’

‘Thank you, Mr Goodall, I have fond memories of my stay here under your care.’

He put out his hand to take her pelisse and bonnet but Angelica said in a voice still breathless, ‘I’m not expected, I know, but is Miss Stafford available for callers by any chance?’

He nodded and showed Angelica into the morning room. She paced, aware of how wrong all this was. She was now involving Mr Asprey’s employees but such was her desolation at the thought of losing him, of the nation losing him, she could not walk away with a shrug.

Sarah Stafford entered the room and Angelica took a step towards her and said with relief, ‘Oh Miss Stafford! I’m so pleased that you are here.’ She stretched out her hands. ‘I apologise for coming unannounced but there is something of great moment for which I need your advice, if not your help.’

Miss Stafford appeared unruffled but her eyes were watchful. She suggested they sit. ‘I’ve left Elinor writing about Queen Elizabeth and her pirates. I didn’t tell her you were here as I thought it might be a private matter you wanted to discuss.’

‘You’re right. I’m in some despair as I don’t know how best to proceed.’

‘Why? What has happened?’

‘Because of me, Mr Asprey has felt compelled to call Lord Rackham out. And he’s asked Mr Digby to be his second.’ Angelica had grasped Miss Stafford’s hand as she spoke, only glancing up when she heard her measured response.

‘This is a matter for them, Miss Leigh. Their honour is held so dear it can seem nonsensical to us, but I know Mr Asprey will not aim to kill.’

‘That may be so, but we cannot know what Lord Rackham will do, so deep is his antipathy for his rival.’

Sarah Stafford reached for her hand as Angelica took a deep breath before confiding what lay heavily in her memory. ‘Miss Stafford, I was eleven years old when an American gold trader who knew my mother told me of the duel that had just been fought in his country by a politician he considered the reforming hope for his people. I consider Mr Asprey a similarly important man for our country.’

‘And what transpired in that case?’

‘The man was a Mr Hamilton and he was shot and killed by his Vice President. All that promise, all the possibility of reform, snuffed out by one bullet. And all to redress an imagined slur. The American gold trader had tears in his eyes as he told me and I feel now as full of foreboding about Mr Asprey’s fate.’

Miss Stafford sat quite still, her head bowed. ‘I can understand your agitation. I now share it too. Not only will the country be the poorer but I could not bear Elinor to lose her only parent. What do you suggest we do?’

Angelica leaned forward, a small hope rising in her heart as she grasped both of Miss Stafford’s hands. ‘Oh, thank goodness you too see the necessity of action, however irregular. My maid, Mary, has a friend who’s a Bow Street officer and I have the money they require to investigate. We just need to know where and at what time the combat is due to take place.’ Miss Stafford nodded. ‘I hoped that you might find that out from Mr Digby?’ Angelica added with some shyness. She was asking a great deal but she also knew that Miss Stafford loved Elinor Asprey like a daughter and would do anything to save her any more anguish.

Just at that moment, the girl’s pale face peered round the door. Her blue eyes lit up with an irresistible merriment. ‘Miss Leigh! Miss Stafford didn’t tell me you were here.’ She danced into the room and curtseyed, then impulsively grasped Angelica’s hand. ‘I’ve finished my essay on the Queen’s pirates and was thinking I could go for a walk with Miss Stafford. But you are here! This is beyond my hopes.’

Angelica laughed; the girl brought out all her own light-heartedness and joy in life. ‘Well, I only dropped by for a moment and must be going. But perhaps we could meet for a walk next week?’

She offered her hand to Miss Stafford who took it and met her eyes with a meaningful look. ‘I’ll send a note of time and place later this evening,’ she murmured as all three walked into the hall.

‘Oh, Miss Leigh, I so want to see you. I have more news to tell you.’ Elinor’s eyes sparkled with the import of what she had to share and Angelica met Miss Stafford’s eyes and saw she was blushing, her fine face suffused with happiness. Angelica took her hand and squeezed it. ‘Congratulations,’ she mouthed over the girl’s head.

As Angelica climbed back into the chaise she leant her head back on the squab cushions and closed her eyes, suddenly very weary.

‘Well?’ Mary’s voice cut through her reverie.