‘Don’t go gettin’ carried away,’ she said wryly. ‘Just remember I’m only goin’ to be here for Charlotte. I can’t ever see me an’ the master sittin’ enjoyin’ each other’s company. I wouldn’t spit on him if he were on fire.’

Nancy glanced at her with a curious expression on her face before suggesting tentatively, ‘Don’t you reckon you’re bein’ a bit ’ard on ’im? What I mean is, I know what he did to you was despicable but I think he’s tried to make amends one way or another an’ he has got a lot on ’is plate at the minute, what wi’ losin’ little David an’ ’is missus, then losin’ the house an’ ’is business an’ all! Most men would ’ave turned tail an’ run after what he’s ’ad to put up wi’ lately but he won’t do that cos he thinks too much o’ little Charlotte.’

Amber tossed her head as she threw an old cushion out for the bonfire. ‘Aye, he does love her, admittedly,’ she said begrudgingly. ‘But I still can’t forgive him for lyin’ to me, an’ abandonin’ me when I needed ’im most. He might be sorry for it now, and he might love Charlotte, but I’ll never forgive him, an’ I can’t trust him!’ Though, deep in her heart, she wondered whether this was still completely true.

‘In that case, I can’t see there bein’ much ’appiness in this ’ouse,’ Nancy said quietly and she returned to what she had been doing while Amber stared at her thoughtfully. As much as she hated to admit it, she supposed Nancy was right about certain things. Back at the house it was easy to avoid Barnaby apart from when he visited the nursery, but here they would be living in very close proximity to each other so she supposed she ought to at least try to be civil to him, for Charlotte’s sake if nothing else.

The carriage arrived at six o’clock that evening to take them back to the house and as Jimmy, the young groom, helped Nancy into the carriage, Amber noticed the way their eyes locked and how he held her hand for just a little longer than was necessary.

‘Would I be right in thinkin’ that you an’ Jimmy are becomin’ a little bit more than friends?’ Amber teased as, exhausted from a hard day’s work, they settled back against the leather squabs.

Nancy blushed prettily. ‘He’s asked me if I’d like to walk out wi’ ’im on me days off,’ Nancy admitted. ‘An’ I’ve said yes.’

‘But what will happen if he has to move away when his job at Greenacres finishes?’

Nancy smiled. ‘That’s all sorted. Mr Greenwood is givin’ ’im a job in his warehouse.’