Later in the afternoon the doctor called and after examining little David he shook his head. ‘Still refusing his feeds, is he?’ He addressed the question to Nancy who he knew had been caring for them.

Nancy nodded and he sighed. ‘Ah well, you can only do your best, my dear.’ And snapping his bag shut he quietly left the room.

Nancy and Amber ate their meal in the nursery together that evening but soon it was time for Nancy to return to the servants’ quarters and once she was gone Amber knew a moment of panic. She didn’t really know anything about caring for babies, after all, and suddenly the responsibility weighed heavily on her.

When their next bottles were due, she warmed the milk on the little stove and lifted Charlotte who was already awake and getting impatient. She really was the most beautiful child and as she nestled against Amber clutching her bottle with her chubby little hands, she stared up at her new nanny and Amber couldn’t help but admire her.

Within minutes the bottle was drained and laying her on a blanket on the floor, Amber began to undress her to change her into her nightclothes. The child gurgled contentedly as Amber took the pins from her binding, crooning reassuringly to her all the time. Within no time at all the child lay there completely naked and it was then that Amber’s hands flew to her throat and she began to keen softly in her throat as the midwife’s words at the birth of her child sounded in her head. And look, they call this an angel’s kiss.

Amber’s head wagged from side to side in denial as she stared down at the tiny heart-shaped birthmark on the baby’s thigh, but before she could digest what she was seeing a voice from behind her made her swing around.

‘Ah, you’ve realised then? I was hoping to be able to talk to you before you did.’ It was Barnaby who looked fraught as he stood there wringing his hands.

‘I . . . I don’t understand!’ Amber’s voice came out as a squeak. ‘The . . . the midwife who delivered my baby said she had an angel’s kiss too. Or is she . . .’

He nodded. ‘Yes.’ There was no point in lying. He’d known she’d find out. He only regretted that he hadn’t made the admission sooner. ‘Charlotte is your baby, Amber, but please let me explain . . .’

‘I think you’d better!’ she snapped as her whole world tipped upside down yet again.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six