She was still sitting there when Mrs Jennings joined her shortly after six o’clock and she sniffed her disapproval. ‘Whatever are you doin’ sittin’ there, lass?’ she scolded. ‘You’ll catch your death o’ cold. You’ve had a nasty shock and you should be abed.’ She bustled over to fill the kettle and once she had set it on the range to boil, she threw some logs onto the fire and poked the ashes to get it going.

Amber just stared at her dully. She felt as if all the fight had been sucked out of her, and now she was afraid for Barnaby. Mr Jennings arrived soon after with a large jug of fresh milk and as he glanced at Amber, not quite sure what he should say to her, his wife told him, ‘That were good timin’. The kettle’s just about to boil. Sit yourself down an’ have a cup o’ tea then you’d best get along to milk the cows.’

As they all sat at the table together, Mr Jennings commented, ‘You’ve got a right shiner on you there, lass. It were a good job Barnaby came along when he did, eh?’

‘Is it?’ she answered quietly. ‘It might have been better if he hadn’t heard me scream. He wouldn’t be sittin’ in a cell charged wi’ murder then. But I swear to you both on Charlotte’s life that he didn’t do it! He didn’t stab Bertie!’

‘It ain’t me as you ’ave to convince,’ Mr Jennings said gently, feeling sorry for the girl. ‘Is there anythin’ more we can do for you?’

‘Yes, there is as it happens. I’d be grateful if Mrs Jennings could stay to keep her eye on Charlotte just long enough for me to get into town an’ back so I can see how Barnaby is. I don’t really want to take the baby to a jail.’

‘Of course I will, but would you just ’ave somethin’ to eat afore you go?’ Mrs Jennings leant across the table and gently squeezed her hand. Poor lass, it seemed that trouble followed her about.

Amber shook her head as she stood up and walked unsteadily towards the door leading into the hall. ‘Thanks, but I couldn’t eat a thing at the minute an’ the sooner I get off the sooner I’ll be back.’ So after hastily dashing upstairs to throw on some clothes she practically ran out of the door.

Mr and Mrs Jennings looked at each other and sadly shook their heads. It looked like Amber would have yet another battle on her hands if she was going to try and clear Barnaby’s name, because at the moment it did look suspiciously like he had stabbed Bertie, despite what she said.