She saw his gaze drop momentarily to her bosom, and for a wild moment she thought he was going to make an indecent suggestion. Then he said: “I want to spend the summer with you.”

She had not expected that. “Why?”

“My home is six weeks’ journey away. I have to stay at school during the holidays. I hate it — it’s lonely and boring. I’d like to be invited to spend the summer with Edward.”

Suddenly he was a schoolboy again. She had thought he would ask for money, or perhaps a job at Pilasters Bank. But this seemed such a small, almost childish request. However, it clearly was not small to him. After all, she thought, he is only sixteen.

“You shall stay with us for the summer, and welcome,” she said. The thought did not displease her. He was a rather formidable young man in some ways, but his manners were perfect and he was good-looking: it would be no hardship to have him as a guest. And he might be a good influence on Edward. If Teddy had a fault it was that he was rather aimless. Micky was just the opposite. Perhaps some of his strength of will would rub off on her Teddy.

Micky smiled, showing white teeth. “Thank you,” he said. He seemed sincerely delighted.

She felt an urge to be alone for a while and mull over what she had heard. “Leave me now,” she said. “I can find my way back to the headmaster’s house.”

He got up from the pew. “I’m very grateful,” he said, and offered his hand.

She took it. “I’m grateful to you, for protecting Teddy.”

He bent down, as if he were going to kiss her hand; and then, to her astonishment, he kissed her lips. It was so quick that she had no time to turn away. She searched for words of protest as he straightened up, but she could not think what to say. A moment later he was gone.