He smiled self-consciously. ‘Thank you. But now for my proposition.’ Knowing how independent his younger sister was he looked slightly uncomfortable about what he was to suggest but he went on, ‘Martha and I have talked about your sad situation and realise that it will be hard for you to manage now, and so we were wondering . . . Would you consider coming to live with us? As Amber will tell you, that house is far too big for just the two of us and—’

Before he could go any farther Alice held her hand up. ‘That’s a reet kind offer and mightily appreciated,’ she said primly. ‘But me an’ Amber ain’t quite charity cases just yet!’

‘Please, lass, let me finish,’ Jeremiah said hastily. ‘For a start off, I never for one minute meant to suggest that you were charity cases. The thing is, you’d be doing us a big favour, you see? Because once we’re wed we want to travel, which means we’ll need someone to look after the house an’ keep an eye on the shop while we’re not there, and on Fancy and Biddy. And there would be a wage of course.’

Amber smiled as she thought of the little dog who had stolen all their hearts while she was living with them.

‘So will you at least sleep on it afore you make your decision? I shall be staying here tonight, if that’s all right with you, and you can tell me what you’ve decided before I catch the coach home tomorrow.’

‘Aye, I’ll sleep on it,’ Alice said quietly as she turned the idea over in her head. It would be a solution to all their problems, she had to admit, and it would mean that the two sons she had left wouldn’t have to help her and Amber out financially. ‘But now sit yourself down while I warm some soup up for you an’ get you a hot drink.’

And after the journey he’d had, Jeremiah was only too happy to oblige.

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

‘The doctor I contacted will be coming to see Louisa tomorrow,’ Barnaby’s father-in-law informed him at dinner that evening.