Nancy arrived shortly after with their breakfasts on a tray and confirmed what Amber had feared. ‘Apparently the poor bugger were stiff as a board when ’er mother went into her room this mornin’, but the strangest thing is, Mrs Ruffin never fetched anyone an’ they can’t find ’er!’

Amber frowned. They all knew how devoted Mrs Ruffin was to her young mistress and she couldn’t imagine her leaving her. ‘What do you mean, they can’t find her?’

‘Just what I say. She’s gone an’ the master’s got the grooms an’ the gardeners out lookin’ for ’er now!’

‘Poor thing, she’ll be heartbroken,’ Amber said compassionately. ‘Perhaps she just needed to get out for some fresh air? It’s funny that she didn’t tell anyone that the mistress had passed though, ain’t it?’

Shortly after, Barnaby appeared to visit Charlotte, his face pale and strained. ‘I suppose you’ve heard by now that my wife has passed away?’ he said quietly as Becky discreetly slipped out of the room with her arms full of dirty laundry.

Amber nodded solemnly. ‘Er, yes . . . I’m sorry for your loss,’ she said stiffly, for despite her more charitable thoughts towards him the day before, she still couldn’t forgive him for what he had done to her and she doubted she would ever feel completely at ease in his presence.

With his arms clasped behind his back he crossed to the window and stared sightlessly out across the lawns. ‘Her parents have informed me that they wish to take her body home to be buried in their family plot in Pickering.’

‘Oh . . . I see. And have you agreed to that?’ Amber didn’t quite know what to say.

‘Yes. I think it’s what Louisa would have wanted. She was never really happy here,’ he said regretfully.

‘Then I can only repeat, I’m sorry for your loss.’

He shrugged. ‘If truth be told I lost Louisa years ago – that’s if I ever really had her. I couldn’t make her happy, you see? Immediately after the funeral I shall return and Louisa’s solicitor will meet me here the following day to read her will, although I envisage everything being fairly straightforward. But anyway, that’s quite enough of my troubles, how is Charlotte this morning?’ He crossed to the crib where the baby was just stirring and gently ran his finger down her cheek. ‘She gets to look more and more like you,’ he remarked softly and Amber felt herself flush.