They looked merry, if a bit exhausted, as they climbed down from the carriages. Amity beamed at Colin, who offered a gloved hand to assist her as she alighted and led everyone to the terrace for a spot of refreshment. Colin looked up to find me, waving and calling for me to join them. I nodded in agreement, smiling and waving back. “Do hurry, Emily,” Margaret shouted. “I’ve a capital scheme all planned out, but it shall never work without you.” “I am on my way,” I said, but then stopped and leaned over the railing. Augustus was descending from his parents’ carriage. He saw me staring at him—aghast, as I could not reconcile his rejoining the party with him having lunched with me in Cannes—and gave me a jaunty little salute, full of arrogance and devoid of respect. On my way down, I passed Mr. and Mrs. Wells in the lobby. The exertion of the day had left them tired and they had refused the invitation to join the others on the terrace. “It is best that we leave the young people to their raucous amusement, don’t you think, Lady Emily?”
