Half an hour later they were ready to set off again and within minutes Louisa was complaining loudly once more. It had started to rain by then so the carriage was forced to slow down, which added time to their journey. But at last Scarborough came into view and soon the carriage drew up outside the cottage.

Louisa had been just a young girl the last time she had visited it with Mrs Ruffin and her parents, and she was quite excited to be having a change in her routine. ‘It’s bigger than I remember it,’ she said approvingly after climbing down from the coach. ‘I think we shall be very comfy here, Ruffy, very comfy indeed.’

She hurried on ahead of everyone, and when she entered the large kitchen she was not disappointed. As promised by Mrs Reed, everywhere was clean as a new pin and the tempting aroma of a large cottage pie was issuing from the range. There was a fire crackling in the grate and everywhere looked warm and cosy.

Mrs Ruffin followed her in while Jimmy and Barnaby took the carriage round to the stable.

‘It all looks lovely,’ Mrs Ruffin said approvingly as she helped Louisa take off her bonnet and cloak. ‘But come along, you must be hungry and that pie smells delicious.’

Jimmy and Barnaby soon joined them and Louisa was appalled when she saw that Jimmy was going to join them for their meal. She opened her mouth to object, but as though he could read her mind, Barnaby shot her a warning glance and she angrily snapped her mouth shut, for then at least.

The meal was plain but tasty and everyone but Louisa enjoyed it. ‘I would think this is the sort of meal that would be served to the staff back at Greenacres,’ she said ungratefully.

Mrs Ruffin almost choked on a mouthful of food. ‘Well, you’d best get used to it,’ she warned, waving her fork at her. ‘Because I don’t pretend to be a cook and once I’m doing the cooking you might look back on this and wish you could have more of it!’

‘I’m sure we shall be grateful of anything you wish to serve us, Mrs Ruffin,’ Barnaby said hastily with another warning glance at his wife.

Colour flamed in Louisa’s cheeks and she slammed her knife and fork down, suddenly wondering if coming here had been such a good idea after all.

Once the meal was over, Barnaby and Louisa went into the parlour where a cheery fire was burning while Mrs Ruffin cleared away the dirty pots and Jimmy went to look at the room above the stables, where he would be sleeping for the duration of their stay.

‘I can’t believe that you expect me to eat at the same table as our groom!’ Louisa fumed as Barnaby struck a vesta and lit a cigar.