‘For how long?’

‘She didn’t say! Till this thing blows over, I suppose, if that’s the right way of putting it. She didn’t even ask whether it would be convenient.’ Lady Grylls gave a mirthless guffaw. ‘She seems to be taking it for granted that it will be all right. She’s got houses all over the place – Florida, Geneva, a villa in Antibes, and I don’t know where else – yet she’s coming to Chalfont.’

Antonia murmured, ‘She clearly believes she will be safest here. A haven of peace in the midst of turmoil.’

Payne nodded. ‘Pax in bello.’

‘Pax in bello be blowed! Why should she believe any such thing? Yes, yes, she’s been here before, but she was only three or four then – her mamma brought her. She’s seen photographs of Chalfont, of course. What I mean is, the house is jolly isolated,’ Lady Grylls went on. ‘There’s no moat or wall – no barbed wire – nothing to deter intruders – no armed sentinels. If someone wanted to cut her throat or shoot her, there’d be no way of stopping them, would there?’

‘Perhaps she’ll bring her own bodyguards.’

Lady Grylls groaned. ‘Her entourage. What am I going to do about her entourage? She mentioned a Maitre Maginot. I am sure there will be others.’ Lady Grylls counted on her fingers. ‘Her personal maid, her make-up artist, her masseuse – um, what else is there?’

‘Fitness instructor – nutritionist?’ Antonia suggested.

‘Yes… Her personal chiropodist too, as likely as not – these people are so spoilt – or do I mean chiromancer?’ Lady Grylls frowned.

‘She probably has one of each.’

‘You are such a comfort, Hughie… Yes, the likes of Corinne usually travel with a retinue. I’m sure they’ll be an extremely disagreeable bunch… She never said how many!’

‘I don’t see why you should let that worry you, Aunt Nellie. Plenty of room here.’

‘Servants, darling. Servants.’ Lady Grylls shook her head. ‘The bane of my life. I have the most awful struggle, keeping this place together.’