‘Well, mate, you’ve only yourself to blame – what else can I say?’ Danny felt for his distraught brother-in-law; he’d guessed that Isabelle would be making James’s life hell. He knew she could never live with infidelity in her marriage. ‘Our Isabelle has a hell of a tongue on her, and I’m glad I’m not in your shoes. But look on the bright side: at least she hasn’t thrown you out.’

‘Don’t think she hasn’t threatened it. But she couldn’t live with the scandal, of that I’m sure. The servants are very cold towards me, and as for our Jane, she either goes to work with her mother or hides in her room reading her precious Votes for Women newspaper, which is filling her head with nonsense. Thank God Luke is at school at Giggleswick. Even if I do worry about him, now that he’s joined the OTC. He’d be first in line if ever there was a war. But I’m wasting my time with my opinions at the moment.’

‘You are in a bad way, my old mate. But like I said, you do only have yourself to blame. Although I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t say most of us have been swayed by a bonny face from time to time. It’s just that we don’t get caught.’ Danny sat back in his chair and looked sympathetically at his usually laid-back brother-in-law.

‘Why do you say that? You’ve never been unfaithful to Harriet. I know you’ve had your ups and downs, but you always seem to love one another, regardless of how tough it gets.’ James peered at Danny, interested that he was confessing to having an eye for a good-looking woman.

‘No, I’ve never been tempted since I was wed, but I nearly didn’t get married because of a lass who was very similar to your Madge. She took my eye and my heart, if truth be told. She was everything that Harriet wasn’t. There was no talk of marriage and family; she just lived for the day.’ Danny sat back in his chair and recollected the time he had spent with Amy Brown.

‘That’s different – you weren’t married. You can’t be blamed. Did Harriet ever suspect?’ James looked at Danny and saw the wistful look come over him of a man once in love.

‘I don’t think so. But occasionally she says that I should never have married her, that she doesn’t make me happy. She was worst just after after our two boys died, because she blamed herself – and the world – for the loss of them.’ Danny hesitated. ‘She’s come round a lot lately, and I think she will improve even more when she goes back to working with Isabelle. They can plan our downfall together, it will be like old times.’ Danny laughed.