‘Let me carry her up to the nursery for you,’ he said gently, for all the world as if he were speaking to his equal, and Amber quietly undid the shawl that bound the child to her and watched as he took the infant from her and cradled her against his chest.

‘Nancy, see that some refreshments are sent up to the nursery,’ he told the girl and with a bob of her knee and a broad smile on her face Nancy rushed off to do as she was told.

They didn’t speak again until they reached the privacy of the nursery and Amber stood there not sure what she should do. She had expected him to rant and rave at her but instead he eventually dragged his eyes away from Charlotte’s face to say softly, ‘I didn’t think I was ever going to see her again. Why did you bring her back?’

Amber gulped. ‘Because she was un’appy an’ because . . . she were missin’ you.’

His eyes returned to his daughter’s face as if he couldn’t get enough of her and raising his head, he said gently, ‘Thank you.’

‘What? You mean I ain’t in trouble? Ain’t you got the police lookin’ for me?’

He shook his head. ‘How could I report you for anything after the way I treated you? And anyway, I don’t think they’d have been too interested when they found out that you’d taken your own daughter.’

She lowered her eyes, feeling ashamed. When it came to his children, Barnaby wasn’t nearly as bad as she had painted him in her mind. ‘So what do you want me to do now? Shall I go?’

‘Go?’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Why would you do that? Who else could I get to care for Charlotte better than her own mother? No, please stay. I told the servants and anyone who asked that you’d gone to care for a sick relative and that you could be gone some time. There’s no need for them to know otherwise, although . . .’ His mouth twitched and the shadow of a smile appeared. ‘It might be a good idea to get changed out of those clothes before you see any of them.’

She too smiled as she gazed down at her shabby work boots, and darned skirt and blouse, but then Charlotte stirred and slowly opened her eyes and as she looked up into her father’s face the most wondrous smile stretched from ear to ear and she gave a little crow of delight as her arms crept about his neck.