Seconds later a maid appeared bearing a laden tray. There were dainty cucumber and ham sandwiches, tiny pork pies, a large pot of tea and a selection of cakes and pastries. The maid placed it on the table by the window and Harry asked politely, ‘Shall I pour one for you, Miss Ainsley?’

Amber was in the process of folding their pyjamas and she smiled at him. Perhaps they did know how to behave after all. ‘Yes, thank you, Harry. I shall be with you in a second.’

She finished what she was doing and joined them, pleased to see that they were sitting quietly. ‘Oh, I can’t tell you how much I’ve been lookin’ forward to this,’ she said as she lifted the delicate cup and saucer and took a long drink. Suddenly she clutched at her throat, trying to catch her breath as her eyes watered and the boys began to giggle helplessly. It was then she saw the pepper floating on the surface of her drink and she glared at them. She would have liked to shout at them but she couldn’t get a word out of her stinging throat.

‘Th . . . at wa . . . sn’t f-funny!’ She managed to croak eventually. They showed no signs of remorse whatsoever and now Amber understood why so many of their nannies had left. Even so, she behaved with as much dignity as she could muster as she reached for another cup and poured herself a drink and thought back to the advice she had been given – start as you mean to go on! Perhaps it was time to do just that!

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Thankfully, by bedtime the boys were tired and once Amber had ensured they were tucked up in their beds and had all they needed, she slipped next door to her own room. The maid had been in and lit the oil lamp. She had also made up the fire in the small grate and turned back the bed so the place looked warm and cosy. Amber yawned. She was worn out, what with all the travelling and trying to keep the boys in order, and all she wanted to do was sleep. Quickly she undressed and hung up her gown, then after washing in the water the maid had left ready, she slipped her nightgown over her head and clambered onto the bed. She was so weary that she was sure she would be asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow, but as she pushed her legs down the bed, they connected with something disgustingly wet and squidgy and she shrieked as she leapt out again. Throwing back the covers back to see what it was, she heard laughter on the landing outside her door, and rushing to it she thrust it open to find the boys in their nightgowns with tears of mirth streaming down their cheeks.