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‘You’re not sure? Perhaps you’d like to explain to me why the whole of London society thinks that you are here for your come out.’ She was positively quivering with fury.

Eliza wanted to run. She hated it when Mama was furious. ‘I… I have no idea. Lady Harriet…’

‘Really? Really? So why is the entire Ton anticipating your presentation? Why does everyone seem to think that you already have the Marquess of Hartington about your thumb? For God’s sake, child, there is even talk of vouchers for Almack’s!’

Eliza could not find any words. She thought that the speculation had remained within the confines of Chiswick, but apparently not. She felt sick.

‘Your brother and I told you there would be no come out this year, so you need to explain to me, and to him, why you have done this wicked thing. Why you are conspiring with those wretched Cavendishes to undermine the good name and reputation of your family to get what you want?’ Her voice was getting louder. ‘Is this what they taught you? To spread word among decent people that you are in London for a season in the hope that I will relent? Did you believe you could shame us into relenting?’

Eliza was shaking, but she swallowed and managed to reply with a modicum of calm.

‘Mama, I assure you this was not intentionally done. Lady Harriet, the family and all the other guests just presumed that I was in London for the season. For my come out. I explained that I was not. I specifically told them that I was simply here to support my sister, but perhaps they did not believe me.’

Her mother gave her a withering look and turned to Charles. ‘What have you to say about this? She is in your care. You must surely have heard something if word managed to reach Northumberland. Why have you let this progress? Why have you not nipped it in the bud?’

Her head thumped painfully as she looked at her brother. He appeared calm but avoided her eye.

‘Mama, I confess I heard something, but only recently and I just took it as they were mistaken.’ He shrugged and smiled at her. ‘I am so sorry you felt you needed to journey all this way. I’m sure the whole thing can be cleared up quite easily.’

Mama ignored him and turned to Mary. ‘And you? What have you heard?’

Mary, to her credit, did not wilt under Mama’s onslaught. She lifted her chin. ‘I heard some gossip that the Marquess of Hartington was paying particular attention to Eliza. I did not consider that a problem. Quite the opposite, in fact. A match with the duke’s heir would be an excellent outcome for Eliza, would it not?’ She tucked her hand in Charles’s arm. ‘As for the question of a come out, I have heard whispers but like the rest of the family assumed they were misinformed.’

‘Nonsense!’ Mama said, but Charles placed his arm around Mary’s shoulder and held up a hand before Mama could start again.

‘That is enough, Mama.’ His tone brooked no opposition. ‘Whatever has happened can be put right. I am sorry you felt the need to leave home and make such a journey, clearly you are upset about it, but I will not have Mary admonished because of it.’

Mama pursed her lips and looked like she might explode, but she kept her counsel and turned her fire on Eliza.

‘Well,’ Mama said, glaring at her. ‘What have you to say?’

Eliza put her fingers to her forehead, which was now aching with a pulsing rhythm.

‘I cannot say anything, Mama. I came to London as a support for Hannah. I knew I wasn’t here to be presented. You made that clear before I left. When people made assumptions, I corrected them as best I could.’

‘As best you could? Was a simple, ‘that is not true’ too much for you?’

She thought of Haryo. Of Hart. Of the kindness and welcome she had found at Chiswick. It upset her to hear her mother speak so scathingly of them. That she thought so little of them. Of her. That she herself could not answer such questions properly because she had no answer.

She rubbed her forehead once more and took a breath. ‘I wasn’t able to give an answer to Lady Harriet when she asked why I was not to be presented, Mama, because I do not know the answer. I do not know why I am not to be presented, not to have a season even though I am quite old enough. Both my sisters had come outs when they were younger than me. I told them I was not here for my come out, but when they asked why, I simply didn’t know what to say.’

From the corner of her eye, she saw her mother’s face and thought she might need a paregoric draught. She went purple and started spluttering.

‘You ungrateful girl. How dare you do this to your family? You have made us all look like fools. And with the Cavendishes of all people. Have you no shame?’

Eliza was shaking now. She wished she could say that had they treated her fairly, and offered her a season, they wouldn’t be in this mess, but her bravery had evaporated. She simply could not fathom why her relationship with the Cavendish family could be seen as shameful. Haryo’s father was a duke. Hart was a duke in waiting. Wasn’t it every family’s dream for a daughter to marry a duke? That she had always been extremely fond of the Cavendish family made it hurt all the more. In that moment, she wished the duchess was still alive. She would have known what to do.

Mama took a breath to continue her tirade, but to her surprise, Charles cut across her.

‘Mama, enough. I know you are upset. I know that this is an awkward situation. But please, can we discuss this in a civilised manner and stop shouting at one another? We need to be calm and decide how to manage the situation to minimise any social repercussions. We have Hannah’s future to consider, as well as Eliza’s.’

‘You fool. The Cavendishes have humiliated us a…’

‘Mama!’ Charles’s whip-like tone stunned them all, Mama included. She tsked and put her chin in the air, but Eliza could see she was trembling.

Charles continued, holding out one hand towards their mother. ‘Mama, we are all upset, and it is important that we say nothing in the heat of the moment that later we might regret.’

Mama stared at him, fury writ large on her face, then looked away.