Her encounter with Gordon leaves Gwen unnerved and his threats frighten her. She is painfully aware that the law has a tendency to favour men – especially those with wealth and social standing. She curses herself for her stupidity, for ever having set her cap at Gordon Allingham, for thinking her father was wrong, when – in truth – her father had never been wrong about anything in his life – a realisation she has come to far too late.

She longs to lock Tom away in the house. She will do anything to keep him safe. She is terrified of what measures Gordon might take, what extremes he might be capable of to achieve his ends. It is all she can do to stop herself from packing a case of their things and fleeing.

Fractured sleep leaves her sombre and quiet, though she dismisses Muriel’s concern and Nora’s genial enquiries. Tom begs to come with them to the fields, and she is about to dismiss his request when she pauses, contemplating that it might be better if he is with her, if only for her own peace of mind. So, to Muriel’s surprise, she agrees, scooping the boy up, hugging him close, smothering his neck with kisses until he is squirming in her arms, giggling, demanding to be put down.

They are going muck-spreading. Tom comes with her to bring Bobby in from the paddock, running unevenly over the tussocks, whooping with excitement as he goes. Ted has borrowed the tractor to plough his thirty-acre field, but Gwen is glad of the opportunity to put her remaining Clydesdale to work. She knows, with great sadness, that these heavy horses will soon be a thing of the past. She intends to make the most of him while she still can.

Tom helps brush the dried mud from Bobby’s bay coat, standing on an upturned bucket so he can reach the withers. He talks incessantly, barely pausing for breath, rolling comments directed to his mother into those meant for the horse.

Once Bobby stands between the shafts of the manure-laden cart, they are ready to go. Gwen climbs onto the bench seat at the front of the wagon and picks up the flat leather reins. Nora grabs Tom and pretends to throw him into the back with the stinking pile of muck, and he screams in mock terror. He scrambles to Gwen for protection and she relishes the warm press of him. They jerk forward as Bobby takes off, plodding from the yard, Kip trotting alongside.