Old money meant an enormous mansion.

It had been owned by Jenny's family since before the French revolution and had since been passed down to each generation. One day it would all be hers. Although I had no idea what she'd do with fifty bedrooms and a billiard room, it had to be nice for her to know that she would never have to earn enough to get a deposit on a cramped little flat as I would. I mean, my Mum would buy me a house if I asked, but I had no intention of doing that.

It wouldn't be worth anything if I didn't get it myself.

The cars parked in an orderly line outside and the drivers hurried to open the doors for their passengers. Wyatt was the first out and fussed over Meg and Chrissy, insisting on helping them to step down from the vehicle like it was a carriage and he was a loyal footman. Gideon had no choice in helping Lisa. If she'd been any closer to him, he'd have been forced to carry her. He smiled at me with a somewhat helpless expression and I shrugged in response. Lisa was silly enough to do that to any man. There was no reason to feel jealous about it.

Although I kind of did.

Jenny took my hand and led me up the grand stone steps to the front door.

When rich people threw a party, they went all out.

There were people in attendance I didn't recognise, who drank and jeered noisily as we entered. Even if the excuse for the event was Jenny's recovery, hardly any of them noticed her arrival. It was just a reason to enjoy themselves at someone else's expense.

At least there was one friendly face in the sea of inebriated ones.

'Jenny, darling.' Ms Ayers hugged her daughter tightly. She beamed at me and beckoned me closer for the same greeting. I wished that Jenny and I were really sisters. Her mother had treated me better than my own ever had. She kissed the top of my head affectionately. 'Don't you both look beautiful this evening? Ah, and you brought the rest of the rabble with you! Good evening, girls.'

'Hi, Ms Ayers,' Lisa greeted cheerily. 'This is Gideon Wickham. He's on a student placement. Isn't he dreamy?'

'Charmed,' Gideon greeted. He shook Ms Ayers' hand and made no mention of Lisa's improper observation.

'A pleasure to meet you. And this is...?'

'Wyatt, Madam. Wyatt Collins,' Wyatt introduced himself. He bowed his head to her like he was in the presence of royalty.

Ms Ayers struggled to contain a smirk at the display, while I resisted the urge to slap my hand to my forehead so hard that I fractured my skull.

'Nice to meet you, Wyatt. Please don't call me Madam. Help yourselves to the buffet. But steer clear of the alcohol. I have warned the catering staff that you're not to have a drop. You're still abiding by boarding school rules.'

'So unfair,' Lisa complained. 'I'm almost eighteen!'

Chrissy pleaded, 'Can't we have just one glass of wine?'

'No, but there's an endless supply of lemonade.'

'Very sensible, too. You know, I didn't have a drop until I was twenty-one. It's all nonsense, this... letting children drink at eighteen,' Wyatt said in a pompous voice. 'Furthermore –'

And he was off.

I didn't think it mattered to him that no one was listening. Once he got started on a subject, there was no stopping him. I inched away slowly until I was at a safe enough distance that I could slip into the crowd unnoticed. I took Jenny with me. The others were too far away to rescue. I trusted Gideon to look after them for the time being. Poor Ms Ayers was stuck with Wyatt. At least until someone distracted him.

Or knock him unconscious.

Either would be good.

'I'll apologise to your Mum later,' I vowed to Jenny. 'Although, technically you should, given that you invited him.'

She giggled. 'It's fine. She's better at dealing with people like him. Oh, I meant to ask. Do you want to stay over tonight? Mum said it was okay, and she'll take us out into the city tomorrow.'

'I didn't bring anything with me.'

'You can borrow things. It's fine! And she wants to treat you because you visited me so much. She likes spoiling us, you know that.'

'Yeah, but I don't like taking her money. It's as if I'm using you.'

Jenny pouted. 'Are you really going to make me go shopping on my own? I need you to share the pain.'

That was one thing we had in common. Trawling around bustling stores with no set idea of what we were doing, there was one that neither of us could bear. We liked to go out with a purpose and get it over with quickly. Lisa and Chrissy were both more inclined to waste hours browsing things they had no intention of buying. I hadn't ever seen the appeal. I preferred a few beloved outfits that I wore until they weren't fit to be seen in.

And even then, I still wouldn't throw them away.

I held Jenny's hands in mine. 'All right, I'll do it. But only for your sake. It's nothing to do with the fact I desperately need new socks.'

'New socks are always a necessity,' Gideon said from behind us.

I jumped and span so sharply on my heel he had to grip my shoulders to stop me from falling. I hadn't seen him come after us and was surprised that he'd shaken off Lisa so early into the evening. She must have found someone more appealing to trail after. I didn't think there was anyone at the party more attractive than Gideon, but that was down to personal taste.

'You know,' Jenny said with a tone as mischievous as the one I'd used when I pushed her into Charlie, 'I need to go and greet people. Mr Wickham, would you escort Beth? If she's not supervised, she'll go into hiding.'

It was funny how she was totally okay with talking to men she perceived to be teachers, but she couldn't form a coherent sentence in front of boys our own age. She'd been raised in the sort of environment that demanded social gatherings regularly. Jenny likely associated older men with the kinds of people who were friends with her mother; grandfatherly types who smelled of old spice and always carried boiled sweets. I didn't think I could do that with Gideon. I couldn't apply the logic that he was an adult when our ages were so close, or when he was my ideal type of guy, and when his smile made my stomach filled with butterflies. I proved as much when Jenny hurried away. I blushed hotly and suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable in the slinky dress.

I smoothed out the fabric to distract myself, but Gideon took my hand. He kissed my knuckles and assured me, 'You look beautiful. I hardly recognised you.'

'Thanks, I think,' I said, realising that meant he rarely considered me attractive. I offset the disappointment by telling myself that it was a good thing that he didn't consider me attractive in my uniform. It would have been strange if he had.

He asked in that smooth, pulse-quickening voice of his, 'How about we go somewhere to talk? We got interrupted earlier, after all.'

I nodded mutely, and we wove our way through the inebriated adults.