How are you, Lady Burford?'

'I'm very well, thank you.'

'And the Earl - and Lady Geraldine?'

'They're both in excellent health, I'm thankful to say. You're looking extremely fit. Been abroad?'

'Yes, for several months.'

'Lucky you.'

'It was far from pure pleasure. My work keeps me on the move.'

'Oh, of course, you're in the Navy, aren't you?'

'Was, I left a couple of years ago. I'm by way of being a writer now.'

'Indeed? What sort of things do you write?'

'All sorts. Bit of freelance journalism. Travel books. Guide books.'

'And what is the current project?'

Deveraux hesitated. 'Um, well, I'm about to start on a hectic series of country house visits in connection with a commission I've received.'

'Oh?' Lady Burford fixed him with an enquiring gaze.

Deveraux seemed a little embarrassed. 'Actually, I've been asked to write a book on famous British houses - one of a series. Each one will cover a different period - Elizabethan, Queen Anne, Georgian, and so on.'

'And which period are you dealing with?'

Deveraux cleared his throat. 'Er, late Stuart.'

'I see.' Lady Burford looked at him somewhat grimly. 'And why isn't Alderley being included? It's the finest smaller Carolean mansion in England.'

'Unfortunately, the houses have been more or less selected by now—'

'Which ones?'

'Well, Eltham Lodge, Ramsbury, Honington, Belton—'

Lady Burford interrupted with a snort. 'You must be out of your mind! Some of those places aren't in the same class as Alderley.'

'Well, that's a matter of opinion—'

'Fiddlesticks! It's not a matter of opinion: it's a matter of fact. You ever been to Alderley?'

'No, I've seen pictures of it.'

Lady Burford dismissed pictures with a gesture of contempt. 'You definitely committed to include certain houses and no others?'

'Not really. There's nothing about it in the contract.'

'Then you must come and see Alderley. Don't make up your mind until you've been. I guarantee that afterwards you'll agree Alderley's got to be included. How about it?'

'It's very kind of you. But I'm afraid my time has been very carefully allocated. At the end of next week I'm off to Eltham, and from then on it's a different house every few days until the end of October - and my publishers want the manuscript by the New Year.'

'I see.' Lady Burford thought for a few seconds. Then she said: 'What about this coming weekend?'

Deveraux hesitated again. 'I haven't made any firm arrangements. I was hoping to do some sailing . . .'

'You must come to us. Now don't argue. You'll be under no obligation to include Alderley afterwards if you don't want to. But you must see the place and talk to my husband before you make up your mind.