She narrowed her eyes. ‘Yes, sir.’

Barnaby quickly told her about the nanny resigning and as he went on her eyes stretched wide again.

‘So you want me to stand in as nanny?’

When he nodded, she chewed on her lip for a moment. Nancy was one of nine children so in fairness she was quite used to being around little ones and she supposed she could do it if it was only going to be a temporary thing. In actual fact, she decided, it might be quite a nice change from cleaning so after another moment or two she nodded.

‘Very well, sir. But only till you find a replacement, eh? An’ you’ll ’ave to clear it wi’ Mrs Boswell.’

‘You leave the housekeeper to me.’

She could hear the relief in his voice and suddenly she felt a little sorry for him. It was common knowledge amongst the staff that Mrs Greenwood was giving him a hard time and the way she treated those babies . . . Well, everyone was disgusted with her. It was obvious she had no interest in the poor little mites.

‘Thank you.’ To her surprise he leant over and took the duster and the polish from her, saying, ‘Why don’t you go on up to the nursery now so that Nanny can start to show you their routine?’

Nancy bobbed her knee and shot from the room like a bullet from a gun before he had the chance to change his mind.

*

Late in the afternoon the following day, the doctor from London arrived to see Mrs Greenwood. He was a personal friend of the family and very well respected in his profession, so before he went to see Louisa, Margaret fussed over him, serving him afternoon tea and cake and instructing a maid to prepare a bedroom for him, for all the world as if she were the mistress of the house. Barnaby, meanwhile, prowled about feeling like a spare part.

‘Thank you, Margaret, my dear, that was most enjoyable,’ Dr Darwin said when he’d eaten his fill. ‘I’ve quite thawed out now so if you would kindly show me the way I shall go and have a look at your daughter now.’

‘Would you like me to come with you, sir?’ Barnaby volunteered but his mother-in-law shook her head.

‘That won’t be necessary,’ she told him imperiously as she led the doctor from the room.

For almost an hour Barnaby paced up and down the drawing room. His father-in-law had gone out riding so all he could do was wait to see what the doctor said.

He heard him descending the stairs with Margaret when he was done with his examination and one glance at his face told Barnaby that it was not good news.

‘Well?’ Barnaby greeted him as he entered the drawing room and the doctor looked at him gravely. ‘Do you have any idea what might be wrong with her?’