Joseph remembered Gwen’s mother; a bright, astute lady, who’d welcomed him into their little flat above the village shop. She never stood on ceremony; she’d always treated him like any other boy.

He felt a wave of gratitude towards the old woman for having the good grace to die now. It felt, somehow, as though it were meant to be. Because, of course, he was going to say yes.

He cleared his throat. ‘That puts a different slant on it,’ he said. ‘Mrs Nicholls will, I’m sure, be an excellent and … very helpful addition to the staff.’ He waved his hand in the air. ‘Please, go ahead, Mrs Mason.’

‘Thank you, Sir.’

Joseph kept his head down and focused on the paperweight, until the door closed with a gentle click.

Gwen Tapper. Whatever her married name, he could never think of her as anything but Gwen Tapper. Here, at Snowden, after all this time.

Joseph put the paperweight down and reached instead for Sebastian. He’d had the little bear since he was a baby; a gift from a doting uncle long since gone. Sebastian had been a constant presence through everything: Eton, Oxford, France, his marriage to Esther. And now this, another war.

Sebastian was like a charm. Joseph wasn’t superstitious, except when it came to the bear. If he ever lost him, he thought his luck would almost certainly run out.

‘Remember Gwen?’ he asked the bear. ‘She’s coming to help us out. Gwen at Snowden again. Like the old days. If you’re very good, old chum, I might even let you see her.’

Was he being sentimental? No. It was a practical solution to a problem. Gwen was looking for employment; they needed staff.

He was simply helping out an old friend. Anyone would have done the same. There was absolutely nothing more to it than that.

Chapter 14

Two days after they arrived at Snowden Hall, it was Saturday, a half day. At breakfast there was a holiday atmosphere, as everyone looked forward to the weekend and Miss Sharp had to remind them all, more than once, that there was still a morning’s work to get through.

Norm and Big Bill appeared fresh from their first swim in the pool, with rosy cheeks and sopping wet hair.

‘The water’s like ice!’ Bill confirmed cheerfully, dropping heavily into the chair next to Maggie.

‘Crikey!’ Nancy mimed a shiver. ‘You wouldn’t get me in there for all the tea in China.’

‘Speaking of which,’ Ray said, with an uncharacteristically cheeky grin, ‘would you mind passing me the teapot, Pam? Or better still, if I give you my cup, would you be mother?’

Pam stuck her tongue out at him but took his cup and saucer.