They heard the sound of a carriage pulling down the drive then and crossing to the window Barnaby saw it was the undertaker who had come to measure Louisa for her coffin. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I have business to attend to,’ he told her with a nod. At the door, he suddenly paused. ‘I shall be attending the funeral so I shall be away for a few days. You will . . . you will still be here when I get back, won’t you?’

Hearing the fear in his voice she drew herself up to her full height and clasping her hands tightly into her waist she assured him. ‘Yes, I’ll still be here. I won’t try to take Charlotte away from you again, if that’s what you’re worried about, on that you have my word.’

‘Thank you.’ Their eyes met just for the briefest of moments then he was gone, closing the door gently behind him.

Amber let out a deep sigh of relief. She was sorry his wife had died, it was such a shame for one so young to be afflicted with such a terrible illness, and yet selfishly she was glad that she wouldn’t have to see him for a while.

Nancy informed her later that day that Louisa’s body was to be taken to her parents’ home in two days’ time. Meantime she would lie in her coffin in the drawing room at Greenacres where friends who couldn’t travel to Pickering would be able to call and pay their respects.

‘And is there any news of Mrs Ruffin yet?’ Amber enquired anxiously. She had grown fond of the woman.

Nancy shook her head. ‘Not a peep so far but they’re still out lookin’ for ’er and she can’t have gone far.’

As was the custom following a bereavement, every curtain in the house was tightly drawn and would not be opened again until Louisa had been laid to rest. It made the nursery gloomy and so as soon as it was warm enough Amber got Charlotte ready to go outside and get some fresh air. She lay a blanket on the grass and sat her down in the middle of it and Charlotte suddenly surprised her when she rolled on to all fours and crawled off in the direction of the copse nearby.

‘Eeh, Mr Greenwood will be tickled pink when he sees her do that,’ Becky commented as she chased after her. When she was tired of that they took her into the copse and Charlotte oohed and ahed at the beautiful sight of the carpet of bluebells spreading as far as the eye could see.