‘I’m sure she’ll be fine,’ she said coldly and he nodded as he placed a gentle kiss on David’s head and laid him back in the crib. They had come to an unspoken kind of truce where they rarely spoke to each other when he visited the nursery, apart from him asking after the children, and Amber found that she could cope with that.

Once he’d left the room and both infants were sleeping peacefully, Amber crossed to the window and gazed down at the town far below. Not so long ago the little cottage in Argument’s Yard had been the only home she had ever known but now it hit her that she didn’t really have anywhere to call home anymore, and all the people she loved, or those that were left, were scattered far and wide. Her brothers were off somewhere working on the railways and her mother was hopefully still settling happily into her new life in Scarborough. But then her eyes settled on Charlotte and a soft smile played about her lips. Not quite everyone she loved was gone from her life, she thought, because now she had a beautiful daughter.

Half an hour later Becky returned, escorted by Mrs Boswell and clutching a small bundle of clothes in an old pillow case, and Amber was pleased to see her – it would be nice to have someone to talk to apart from the babies.

‘I’ve told Becky that she may prepare the room next to yours to sleep in, if you’d be so kind as to show her where the clean bedding is kept, Amber. And I’ve also sent a message to the mistress’s dressmaker to call and measure you both up for new uniforms.’

Becky’s eyes lit up. ‘What? A brand-new one?’ she asked excitedly. She’d never owned a single new garment in the whole of her life and the ill-fitting gown she was wearing was so darned and faded that it was impossible to imagine what colour it might once have been. ‘What colour will it be?’

‘It will be a soft grey, much like the one Amber is wearing now,’ the housekeeper informed her and Becky clapped her hands with glee, causing David to start in his crib and Amber to glare at her.

‘Sorry,’ the girl muttered repentantly.

‘Hm, well I suggest you go and get your room ready then report back here to help the nanny,’ Mrs Boswell told her, and only too keen to please, Becky dipped her knee and hurried away to do as she was told.

‘Just inform me if the girl doesn’t prove to be suitable,’ Mrs Boswell told Amber primly before leaving the room.