‘You are forgetting, lad. I was in the same shoes as Ethan and couldn’t afford the clothes on my back, when I fell in love with my Lottie. Then your mother came along and we were happy, but Lottie was always at the back of my mind and I knew she would one day be mine, no matter how poor I was. There’s no price on true love, lad, you should know that. Let the lad court her, see how they feel about one another in six months’ time. It might come to something or it might disappear like the morning’s dew.’ Archie smiled at Ethan; he liked the boy’s determination and knew he was right for Rosie.

‘Bloody hell, Father. Think of what you are saying. He’s a stable lad; at least your father had land. I should say no and send you on your way.’ Danny looked at the lad who stood in front of him and thought of how unhappy Rosie had been the last few weeks, which he’d put down to her mother giving her extra work, but now he realized differently. ‘Rosie is everything to me and I want to see her happy. I can’t stand the sullen face we have had the last few weeks. If I say yes, it’s on the understanding that you don’t get up to anything untoward; no wandering hands – you respect her like a lady and you treat her right. Else it won’t just be your father that gives you a braying. As my father says, six months and we will see how you still feel about one another. You can join us on a Sunday for dinner and can have the use of the parlour for an hour.’ Danny stared at the young lad who had captured his daughter’s heart. ‘I’ll ask Mrs Atkinson to make the room above the storehouse available for you; it’ll be a bit warmer than the stable. We were going to have to find you somewhere before the onset of winter, and I’ve been thinking of that for a while. There’s already a bed in there, although you might have mice as company.’ Danny looked at the lad, who was now trying to hide his happiness and couldn’t believe his luck. ‘You treat her right, otherwise God help you.’

‘I will, Mr Atkinson, I will. Thank you.’ Ethan beamed.

‘Now go on, get your arse out of here. I expect hard work out of you and no loitering about, looking at our Rosie. God knows what her mother will say!’ Danny shook his head. Harriet wouldn’t understand. She had wanted Rosie to be a lady all her life, but Rosie had always had other ideas, he’d known that. She loved the land.