She was about to add that she had been feeling especially rich because she had the Earl’s guinea in her purse, although the circumstances in which she received it, made it feel as if it burned a hole in her pocket.

But she had wanted to give her mother a treat and she had also had another reason for going to Hatchards.

Now she bent down and kissed Lady Caversham saying,

“Stop worrying, Mama. It will not be long before Papa is home and you know as well as I do that with the storms we have had this winter, half the ships carrying mail to England from the other side of the world never reached their destination.”

“Supposing – he never comes – home?” Lady Caversham said in a very low voice.

“He will, I know he will,” Thalia said. “‘I feel it in my bones’, as Hannah says and you know you told me once, Mama, that because you and Papa were so close, if he had died you would have been aware of it.”

“I suppose that is true,” Lady Caversham agreed.

“Of course it’s true,” Thalia said. “You have to believe in Papa and trust him. He is alive and, if he comes home seeing you look as pale as you are now, he will be furious with me and will never believe that I have done my best to look after you.”

“Oh, my dearest, you have done everything anyone could do and a great deal more besides,” Lady Caversham said. “It is just that I pray that I shall hear from him, but somehow my prayers do not seem to be heard. If only I could have a letter.”

“You don’t want a letter,” Thalia said firmly, “you want Papa! One day he will walk in when you least expect it.”

“Suppose he cannot find us?”

“Now, Mama, we have talked about this over and over again. Everyone in the country will be ready to tell him. Mr. Johnson who runs The Green Man and old Hibbert who is looking after the house, are waiting for him to appear.”

She paused and then added,

“I also went to our house in Brook Street the other day. As it is empty again, I left a piece of paper stuck on the door saying that all enquiries regarding Lady Caversham should be made to this address.”

“You think of everything, my dearest.”

“I try to,” Thalia said, “but you have to help me. Mama, by getting well and a great deal fatter than you are at the moment.”

Lady Caversham smiled.

“If I do that,” she said, “I shall have to ask you to let out my gowns and you know you have no time at the moment.”

“When you talk like that. Mama, I feel we are back in the old days with you and Papa making a joke of everything and the whole house seeming to be filled with sunshine.”