Mary moved in closer and lowered her voice still further. ‘When the kitten went missing, Miss Emma cried and cried. Lord Caxton had the servants hunt the house and grounds for it. But they couldn’t find hide nor hair of the poor thing. Then, a few days later, Master George took Master Thomas down to the lake. He pulled out a sack weighed down by stones and what do you think was inside?’

She paused, her voice taking on a tone of horror. ‘It was Miss Emma’s kitten! It had scratched Master George, and he was so angry that he drowned the poor thing. Bertha’s uncle said that Master George showed it off to Master Thomas, thinking he’d be impressed. Only, he wasn’t. Like any right-minded person would, Master Thomas went directly to his uncle and told him what Master George had done. Lord Caxton was furious. He took his riding crop to Master George and told him that he was ashamed to call him his son. He said if Master George dared breathe a word of how that kitten died to anybody, especially Miss Emma, he would take him out on to the lawn and flog him for the entire household to witness. Soon after that, Lord Caxton sent Master George away to a very strict school in Ireland. So, you see, Mr Caxton has always blamed Captain Mandeville for souring him in his father’s eyes.’

Mary looked at Lou, her wide eyes full of anticipation. Lou didn’t say a word.

‘Did I do wrong in coming to tell you this, m’lady? Mr Caxton is my better, after all –’

‘No, Mary!’ Lou snapped. ‘That man is not your equal, never mind your better. You did absolutely the right thing in coming to tell me. Don’t ever think you didn’t.’

‘I’m so glad. I wanted it to be my way of showing how much my family appreciates what you’ve done for us. Father got a good price for all of those lovely things, and the medicine has made Mother much better.’

‘You don’t need to thank me,’ Lou said. ‘I’m happy for your family. Go on, you’d better go back to the kitchen before you’re missed.’

Mary curtseyed. ‘Thank you, m’lady. And Merry Christmas to you.’

29

With Mary’s footsteps echoing down the stone stairs, Lou retreated to the carpeted landing. Closing the door behind her, she leant against the wall. A normal little boy might try to impress a playmate by jumping off a wall or climbing a tall tree. A normal little boy wouldn’t kill his sister’s pet and parade it as a prize.

A phrase raced around Lou’s head – show me the boy, and I will show you the man. Was it really possible that, in revealing his cousin’s awful act to Lord Caxton, Tom had set in motion the downward spiral of George’s relationship with his father? And in doing the honourable thing, had Tom fired the starter’s pistol on George’s vendetta against the Mandevilles? Surely no right-minded person would drag a childhood slight into adulthood, using it as a reason to kill and destroy. Could George be a sociopath? A psychopath? Whatever twisted reality he inhabited, in his mind, Tom had betrayed him and must be made to pay. And when George was done with him, he would train his sights on Tom’s family.