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The man’s attempts on the necklace were distracted by the breathless arrival of a slender young man with golden hair and a vivacious face. ‘What’s going on here?’

‘None of yer business, Sir. Just pass on.’

‘This is very much my business! Unhand the lady immediately!’ Ferdinand Shilton thought it better not to show that he knew the young woman, but his concern and anger made his voice as authoritative as his father’s commanding his brigade.

‘Yer just a dandy flash. Whatye gonna do about it?’ the man said mockingly as his grip tightened on Madeleine.

‘I may be a dandy, but I’m not just a dandy!’ And with that, Mr Shilton deftly whipped a long, thin dirk out of his immaculate boot and, before the man could respond, had flashed the blade across the arm restraining Madeleine. It made a clean slash of the cloth but did not nick the flesh beneath.

The assailant was so astonished by the lightning speed and deftness of the attack, he let go of Madeleine immediately, crying out, ‘’Ave some pity on an old soldier, Guv’. ’Ave to feed the kids best way I know how.’ And he loped off into the night.

Miss Rose was shocked and astonished and stumbled forwards. ‘Mr Shilton!’ was all she could say.

He put out a hand to steady her. ‘Miss Rose, are you all right?’

‘Yes, thank you, Sir,’ she said in a thin voice as she began to feel her legs collapse under her.

In an instant, Mr Shilton had grasped both her elbows and held her upright. ‘It’s the shock, I suspect,’ he said as he gazed at her with concern, then stiffened with horror at the state of her face. ‘Your lip is bleeding! The blackguard didn’t force himself on you, did he?’ His words were urgent and full of suppressed ferocity.

‘Oh no. He just wanted money and when I had little, he tried to get my mother’s pearls.’ Madeleine put her hand to her throat and was so relieved to find them still there, she smiled. ‘I’m afraid I bit him and he struck me in the face. Perhaps I split my lip then?’

‘You bit him?’ Mr Shilton was taken aback at her courage and ingenuity.

‘It was all I could do. I had to save my mother’s pearls. I have so few of her possessions, you see.’

‘And he hit you in the face!’ He was outraged and looked closely at the reddened cheek with a graze over the cheekbone.

‘Well, if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have screamed so loudly, and you would not have come to my rescue.’ She gave a lopsided smile.

‘There’s a certain logic to that, I suppose.’ He grinned despite his fury that anyone should use her so ill. ‘Can you walk or should I carry you?’ He looked down at her dishevelled state.

Madeleine followed his gaze and let out a sob, yet her grief was not for herself but for the damage done to her dress. ‘Look! He’s spoiled it.’ She picked up her hem where a flounce was ripped away and then noticed her delicate bodice was torn at the shoulder.

Mr Shilton stripped off his coat and gave it to her. ‘You seem more concerned with your gown than with yourself, Miss Rose.’ He was puzzled. ‘Are you really all right? Take my arm and if you agree, I’ll escort you back to your party.’

‘’Tis true, the damage done to my dress is most upsetting. It’s the only lovely thing I’ve ever had and it was made for me.’ She took his arm and they began to retrace their way back along the gravelled walk.

Recognising a spirit like his own when it came to clothes, Ferdy Shilton said without thinking, ‘Then I’ll get you one to replace it.’

Madeleine was astonished. She looked up at him and gasped, ‘I cannot accept such a gift. We barely know each other.’

Rather surprised at his own spontaneity, he agreed. ‘You’re right, it is irregular. But you see, I too know what it is to love something special and the grief at seeing it wantonly ruined.’ He was thinking of the bullies at school but he had always had the means to replace what they spoiled. His mind returned quickly to the more urgent matter that had been worrying him greatly from the moment he had recognised her. ‘Now tell me, Miss Rose, how did you come to be alone out here, in the dark?’ He was still shocked at the danger she had been in.

‘I wasn’t alone until my cousin Edwin, Lord Lockhart, saw someone he knew and went off to greet the person. Then he didn’t come back.’

Mr Shilton’s face turned grim and he clenched his jaw. ‘You mean he left you alone to pursue a lady?’

‘I don’t know who the lady was, or indeed if she was a lady, and I’m sure he didn’t mean to be away so long.’ Madeleine’s voice tailed off. She was almost trotting beside him, so fast was he walking in his fury.

‘It’s monstrous behaviour from a gentleman whose first duty is to his companion, particularly at night and in this lawless company! Where’s your box, Miss Rose?’

‘Just there.’ She pointed to a supper box where all the inhabitants were on the gravel walk looking anxious as Lord Lockhart was regaling them with his version of events.

Mr Shilton strode into the centre and said in quelling tones, ‘I found Miss Rose being accosted by an ex-soldier who had robbed her of her money and was intent on taking her jewellery. He had a knife. How was she left alone in such a dangerous place?’ His blue eyes had never been less genial as they fell on Edwin Lockhart’s flushed face.

The young man greeted them. ‘Oh, there you are, Maddie. I was looking for you everywhere. Why didn’t you wait for me?’ he blustered, knowing that his story would not stand the light of any inquisition.

His sister was quick to admonish him. ‘Edwin! You should never leave a lady unattended. Mr Shilton’s right, what can have possessed you?’