He blenched visibly, and ejaculated: “Oh, my God, that’s just what they would do! What a hobble we’re in! It almost makes me wish I hadn’t caught you creeping out of the house, and thought it my duty to see you came to no harm!”

“Forgive me!” interposed Miss Wychwood. “May I offer a suggestion?” She smiled at Lucilla, and held out her hand. “If you are set on being a companion, come and be a companion to me!” She heard Miss Farlow within the carriage utter a faint, outraged clucking, and made haste to add: “It won’t do, you know, to be putting up at an hotel, all by yourself; and it’s not to be expected that Mrs Nibley—even if she engaged you, which I think extremely unlikely—would be prepared to do so immediately. She will require you to furnish her with the name and direction of some respectable person willing to vouch for you.”

“Oh, goodness!” exclaimed Lucilla, dismayed. “I never thought of that!”

“Most understandable that you should not!” said Annis. “One can’t think of everything, after all! But I do feel that it is a matter which ought to be considered, and I also feel that it is quite impossible to consider anything when one is standing in the open road, with a perfectly horrid wind positively freezing one’s wits! So do, pray, get into my carriage! Mr Elmore will follow us in due course, and we can discuss the matter when we have dined, and are sitting snugly beside the fire.”

“Thank you!” Lucilla said unsteadily. “You are very kind, Miss Wychwood! Only—only how is Ninian to manage, when he can’t leave the horse?”

“There is no need for you to fret about me,” said Mr Elmore nobly. “I shall lead the horse to the next hostelry, and trust to being able to hire some sort of a carriage to carry me to Bath.”