‘Shhh. If I’d known what had happened, I’d never have gone away. I’m sorry for the hurt, Rosie.’ Ethan kissed her again. ‘We will always be together, I promise. Now let’s get the key back to your grandfather, so he isn’t worrying.’ He smiled. He’d found a spare key hanging up in the back kitchen, and now he felt for it in his pocket. He would keep his find a secret. Over the winter he would secretly put every hour he could into the cottage, because come spring Rosie would be his, and he aimed to have a home ready for them both.

‘I hope you can all make it?’ Isabelle passed to Harriet the newly printed invitation to her Christmas Ball.

‘Oh, Isabelle, it’ll be like old times. Your mother gave such grand balls in her time. I was in awe of them and inspired by the grandeur. It was the special part of Christmas – an excuse to dress in your finest clothes. I felt like a queen, when I had Danny on my arm and we were dancing in the hall.’ Harriet looked lovingly at the invitation and smiled, remembering the good times when she was younger.

‘I’m surprised he didn’t cripple you – he’s always had two left feet, our Danny. Knowing him, he’d stand on your feet more than lead you in a dance.’ Isabelle looked at her sister-in-law and wondered how to word the invitation for Rosie, but not for Ethan, without offending her.

Harriet interrupted her thoughts. ‘Is Rosie included? She can wear the new dress I made her. It matches the evening bag that you gave her. I hope you will include her in the invitation. I need her to see what she is missing, and to stop making a fool with herself with that Ethan. He’s not good enough for her. I don’t know why Danny and Archie make a fuss of him.’ Harriet looked at her sister-in-law and recognized a look of relief, as she talked yet again about her unhappiness with her daughter’s courtship.

‘Rosie is invited, but I would prefer it if Ethan didn’t attend. It just wouldn’t be right, with Mazy being our housekeeper and Jethro being the groom. He would be so out of his depth and it would be embarrassing for us all.’ Isabelle breathed in deeply and waited for Harriet’s comments.

‘I just wish Rosie was not so infatuated with him. Do you and Jane know a few eligible young men who might catch her eye and encourage Rosie not to lose her way with Ethan? Anybody would be better than him.’ Harriet put down her sewing, as she admitted her despair over the love affair that was unfolding between Ethan and Rosie.