Avoiding her eyes, he strode on beside her until they came to the harbour where they stood watching the waves slap against the quayside. It was yet another foggy, murky night and bitterly cold. ‘I can promise you that she is doing very well indeed and being very well cared for,’ he said quietly and just for a moment he saw pain flash in Amber’s eyes as she glanced at him. But almost instantly her chin was up again and he asked, ‘Have you given any thought to the job I offered you?’

She snorted. ‘I’ve thought o’ nothin’ else an’ yes, I’ll take it. It’ll do me good to get away from here for a while.’

‘Good.’ He nodded. ‘But I did make it clear that this was only a temporary position? The Temples’ two boys are going away to boarding school in the New Year when they return from London so they’ll have no need of a nanny then.’

She shrugged. ‘When one door shuts another door opens so they say, so I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.’

She had guts, he had to give her that, he thought admiringly, staring at her from the corner of his eye. Most girls would have folded after what he had put her through. A picture of her as he had last seen her, bending over the barrels of herrings within days of giving birth to their daughter, flashed before his eyes and he couldn’t help but compare her to his wife who had never done a day’s work in her whole life.

‘Then perhaps you could present yourself at the Temple residence tomorrow morning at ten o’clock when Mrs Temple will receive you to tell you what your duties will be and provide you with suitable clothes.’

Her face flamed as she glanced down at her shabby skirt.

‘They live—’

‘I know where they live,’ she cut in ungraciously. ‘About half a mile further on from Greenacres.’

‘Yes. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?’

She glared at him as she held something towards him and he automatically took it from her. Glancing down, he was shocked when he realised it was the roll of notes he had given her when he had visited her at her uncle’s, as well as the golden guinea he had given her to get rid of the unborn baby.

‘But I gave you this as—’

‘I don’t want your money,’ she said proudly, her glorious eyes flashing. ‘It goes against the grain to take this job, seein’ as you arranged it, but then some of us have to work for a livin’. We ain’t all married into money.’