He hesitated. He’d raised the matter many times with Louisa but each time she had told him she was too tired to make a decision so now he decided that he would do it.

‘Yes, we have as it happens, Nanny.’ He smiled as he stroked the little girl’s plump cheek. ‘This little one will be called Charlotte and Louisa for her middle name after her mother, and that little chap there will be called David and Barnaby after me.’

The nanny beamed as she crossed to the crib that contained David where the smile slid away.

‘Beautiful names,’ she said approvingly. ‘But I have to say I have concerns about this little one. He doesn’t seem to be thriving like Charlotte is. He sleeps for most of the time and even when I wake him for a feed he has to be encouraged. His wet nurse is concerned too, although Dr Lewis can find nothing obvious wrong with him as yet.’

‘I’m sure he’ll catch up eventually,’ Barnaby muttered as he stroked the little boy’s tiny hand. He really was very small compared to his sister. She had been over eight pounds at birth, whereas David was just below five pounds, so he reasoned that it was bound to take a little time for him to catch up with her. Even so, as he left the room, he found himself getting concerned so he turned his mind to work and tried not to worry. He had enough to fret about with Louisa without worrying about the baby too.

*

At the Temples’ house all was hustle and bustle as the servants loaded the mountains of luggage onto the two waiting carriages. Part of the journey would be by train and the rest by carriage so Amber was aware that there was a long journey ahead and judging by the state of high excitement the boys were in it wasn’t going to be an easy one. Amber, the two boys and Mr Temple’s valet were to travel in one carriage, whilst Mr and Mrs Temple and her lady’s maid travelled in another.

‘Are you sure that we need to take quite so much luggage, my love?’ Philip Temple asked as the boys ran amok around him. ‘I think you’ve got Betty to pack everything but the kitchen sink.’

His wife, who was looking beautiful in a pale-green velvet travelling costume with a matching hat giggled. ‘It isn’t all luggage, darling. A lot of it is presents. We can hardly make the boys wait for them until we get back, can we? They must have some to open on Christmas Day. And there are some for Mamma and Papa too, so don’t be so grumpy.’