Harriet shifted slightly in her chair as Georgina weighed on her arm. ‘He can come to Christmas Day dinner, but he does not join you at the Windfell ball. Your Aunt Isabelle has requested that, as a family, we come alone and said that Ethan will not be welcome. You can see her point of view; there will be dignitaries and people of all standing there, and she will not want a simple stable lad there on your arm.’ Harriet looked across at Rosie and waited for the temper that was about to erupt from her daughter. She saw her face turn from smiling happiness to a dark scowl. She was a creature with plenty to say.

‘How can she? If I’m going, Ethan is going. What’s she going to do when I marry him? Because that’s what I’m going to do. Tell her, Mother, or I will.’ Rosie threw the darning down and stood up, scowling in front of her mother and watching as baby Georgina awoke as she vented her wrath. ‘She’s nothing but a snob, and so is Jane. Well, she can keep her Christmas Ball – I’m not going.’

Rosie stormed out of the kitchen and up to her bedroom and lay sobbing on her bed, staring at the unworn ballgown that she had been admiring since her mother had given it to her, as she waited for her first ball at Windfell with the love of her life on her arm. If Ethan wasn’t welcome, then she wasn’t, either, and wild horses would not drag her there.

28

28

‘I’m so glad you’ve seen sense, Rosie. Just look how beautiful you are – you deserve to go to the ball. Ethan will understand; he would only feel uncomfortable, because – let’s face it – he will have tethered the horses of most of the guests and he’s bound to feel inadequate around them.’ Harriet stood back and admired her daughter, who was all dressed up for the Christmas Eve Ball at Windfell. ‘Isn’t she beautiful?’ Harriet turned and looked at Danny and Archie, wanting them to give Rosie the same assurance.

‘Aye, a right bonny lass. You’ll put everybody else to shame.’ Archie looked up at his granddaughter and smiled; she was the spitting image of her grandmother and, being so, was especially dear to him. ‘Never mind, lass, Ethan’s not going anywhere. He’ll be happier sitting in the kitchen with his mother, and you could always go down and visit him there. They’ll probably be better company than half of the buggers upstairs.’