Harriet tilted her head back to rest against the door, unable to look at her son as her fears – and really, expectations – were confirmed. Of course it involved sex. And of course Fitzroy had had the misfortune of being caught out not only by his cousin but also a woman who was married to his bedmate’s brother.

Surely there had been a pretty maid aboard that could have relieved the same urge without it leading to this?

“How could you have been so stupid?”

People would talk about the haste of it all, assume – correctly – that someone’s honour had been compromised and that the newly weds had needed to be managed. (Did it sting more than she hadn’t been the one to do the managing?)

“On the plus side she appears to be just as reckless as you. In that you’re well matched.”