Sometimes Percy forgot that not everyone was aware of the ins and outs of society humour and lifestyle. "No, not really," he reassured Booth gently. "It is difficult to explain why that saying became popular in my time." He added a soft smile and shook his head, simply to reaffirm the truth in what he had been saying earlier. Even if it was unfashionable to love Marguerite, he would not care.

"As as friend I think she might be attached. By all accounts he has been very helpful to her, and good to her in this strange place. I...unfortunately was not." He sucked in his breath. "Sink me, I can be quite a fool. Quite an undeserving fool."