‘Take care of yourselves,’ Amber told them as they shyly stepped forward to give her a cuddle, and she was surprised to see that there were tears in their eyes. Despite not getting off to the best of starts they had become firm friends and she was sincere when she said that she would miss them. Caring for and nurturing the boys these past few weeks had brought out a side of her that she hadn’t known was there. At least, she had thought it was the boys who had unearthed her maternal side, but she had also noticed that her mind had been straying to her baby more and more, so perhaps it was her daughter who had brought about the change in her. She was a mother now. Was someone caring for her baby as she had cared for Harry and George?

Amber made for the door and set off down the drive, as the boys and Mrs Temple stood on the steps waving, and although she was sad to say goodbye to them she also felt excited at the prospect of seeing her family again.

She had just turned into Church Street when someone shouting her name made her look around and there was Bertie Preston rushing towards her with a broad smile on his face.

‘Ah, so the wanderer has returned again, has she?’ He gave her a cheeky grin. ‘What wi’ you rushin’ off to take care o’ your uncle then goin’ off as a nanny to the Temple lads for Christmas, I’ve ’ardly seen owt of you fer months. I hope you’re home to stay now?’

Amber really wasn’t in the mood for Bertie but not wishing to be rude she merely shrugged and kept on walking. ‘Who knows what the future holds, eh? I suppose it all depends on what job I get next.’

He scowled at her. ‘But surely now you’re ready to think o’ settlin’ down?’ He sounded aggrieved. ‘You know I’m ready to get wed whenever you are.’

She stopped so abruptly that he almost bumped into her. This, she decided, had gone quite far enough.

‘Look, Bertie, you’re a nice chap an’ all that, an’ I’m sure there’s any number o’ girls that would jump at the chance o’ bein’ your wife, but I don’t want to get wed. Not now – not ever if it comes to that – so I’d best set the record straight once an’ for all!’

His face darkened. ‘Oh, I see. I ain’t good enough for you now that you’re hobnobbin’ wi’ the gentry, is that it?’

‘Of course it ain’t!’ Amber sighed with frustration. What would she have to do to convince him she wasn’t interested? ‘I don’t even know where you got the idea that there was ever anythin’ between us.’