‘Families can be a terrible mix-up. I know that myself, but I’ll not bore you with mine just now. It is far too complicated.’ Daniel looked across at Jane and thought how good-looking she was, with her long auburn hair; it was nearly how he remembered his mother, Amy, when she was young – before years of living with his so-called father and four brothers had taken their toll on her. She too had been beautiful, until all life’s dreams had been beaten and wrung out of her by her husband and his family. He’d hated leaving her over at Slaidburn so he could look after his grandfather, but knew he could not stand living at home another minute. He knew that his mother was better off without him there, as a reminder of her free-living past. It was a thorn in the side of her husband, who frequently reminded both Daniel and Amy of the differences between Daniel and his other sons. He was different; he was not his father’s child and all the world knew it, it was that obvious.

‘It is as you say. I doubt anything would shock me, when it comes to families, but we have said enough about our family, I’m sure.’ Jane smiled. ‘When is your grandfather’s funeral, and will you be leaving us and going back to Slaidburn when he has been buried?’

‘It is on Friday, at Rathmell, at two p.m. And no, I won’t be going back to Slaidburn. My grandfather left his farm, Ragged Hall, to me, so I aim to stay there, build the farm into what it used to be before my grandfather took ill.’ Daniel looked into the fire as Mazy entered with a tray laden with coffee and rock-cakes. She bobbed a curtsy as she left the young couple helping themselves.

‘Mazy’s son will deliver your card – you’ve no need to worry on that score. I’m sure my grandfather will attend, and also his son, who shares your Christian name, although we call him “Uncle Danny”. We never use his “Sunday name” of Daniel, as he calls it.’ Jane smiled at her guest as she poured him his coffee and passed him a rock-cake. ‘He has the same-coloured hair as you, too – strange, that!’ Jane paused and then bit into her rock-cake and watched Daniel’s every move, as she realized that it was her Uncle Danny that her guest reminded her of.

‘Aye, well, we are all Dales folk around here. All interrelated, one way or another, and folk often look alike.’ Daniel bit into his bun and looked at his hostess. ‘Were you not in the printer’s when I ordered the cards? You were looking at some fancy designs.’