‘I can’t say as I’ve ever even considered it,’ Alice said hastily. ‘I don’t think our Amber is anywhere near ready to think of settling down yet and even when she does, I hope it will be wi’ a young man of her choosin’.’ But then seeing the hurt expression on her neighbour’s face she said quickly, ‘Why don’t you come an’ sit yerself down, Molly. There’s a fresh pot o’ tea here. What do you say? I might even find a bit o’ cake to go wi’ it.’

Suddenly Mrs Preston was smiling again; she was never one to turn down a bit of free grub, and so she shuffled over to the table, smelling far worse than any of the fishing nets Alice had been mending that morning, and greedily watched Alice fetch a fresh fruit cake from the pantry.

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

‘I shall be away for most of the day today, darling,’ Barnaby informed his wife the following morning. She was sitting at her dressing table in a floaty peignoir trimmed with feathers as Mrs Ruffin brushed her shining hair, and her fragile beauty almost took his breath away. Her expression, however, did not.

‘Oh, it’s all right for you, isn’t it?’ She glared at him in the mirror. ‘You can go wherever you like whenever you like, whereas I am stuck in here like a prisoner!’ And then as an afterthought, ‘Where are you going anyway?’

‘To Scarborough. I have a possible client there. A gentleman wanting a new trawler built.’ He crossed his fingers behind his back hoping his face wouldn’t give him away. He wished now that he had gone before but with work and one thing and another he had always found a reason to delay the visit.

Louisa shrugged as she turned back to the mirror and attempted to pinch a little colour into her pale cheeks, and feeling that he had been dismissed, Barnaby quietly left the room and hurried to the stable block.

‘I’ve saddled Major for you today seein’ as you’re goin’ a fair distance, sir. He’s a stayer is old Major, but don’t forget to stop about every five mile or so to gi’ him a good drink an’ a short rest.’

‘I won’t, Jimmy.’ Barnaby swung himself up into the saddle and within minutes they were trotting down the drive.

It was a beautiful clear day with powder-puff clouds floating in an azure sky but Barnaby was so focused on where he was going that he found little joy in it. Because the weather was mild, he decided to take the coastal path and once he came to a good stretch of grass, he urged Major into a gallop. It was some fourteen miles or so to Scarborough and seeing as the weather was in his favour, he estimated he should be there for lunchtime.