‘What’s wrong, Father? You’re not ill, are you?’ Danny looked at his father and noticed how worried he looked.

‘Nay, I’m fine. But I can’t see the point in rolling around this big house, and I hate them bloody stairs because of my bad knees – and Isabelle will not want me here, if I offer for her to move in with me. Besides, I couldn’t keep my thoughts to myself when it comes to how they spoil Luke. Jane is another matter, but they’ve ruined that lad.’ Archie paused. ‘Would you and Harriet be able to put up with me at Crummock? It’s more where I belong; and Crummock, I know, will be yours after my day.’ Archie looked across at his son. He knew he was asking a lot, for Harriet would not welcome the news gladly.

‘Aye, heavens, Father. You don’t have to ask. I presume it’ll be your farm after today, and you know you can stay with us. It’ll save you trailing the road up to us, because it’s what you will do, if you live here alone or with Isabelle.’ Danny sighed and tried to smile in reassurance at his father, wondering how he was going to break the news to Harriet.

‘But what about Harriet – she’ll not want me under her feet?’ Archie knew what his son was thinking, realizing full well that Harriet would complain.

‘I’ll not have her say a bad word about it. We’ve two spare bedrooms, and we owe you and Charlotte for everything we have, so she will have to lump it,’ Danny blustered.

‘Right, if you are alright with that, then that’s what I’ll do, and then Isabelle can have her Windfell. It’s where she belongs; this was Lottie’s dream, not mine. I’d rather be sitting at Crummock’s kitchen table than at that big dumb thing in the dining room all by myself.’

‘Is there something else that’s bothering you? ‘Danny glanced at the worried-looking man across from him and waited. It seemed it was a morning of confessions.

‘Aye, this is why I wanted you to close the door.’ Archie hesitated. ‘I went to Ragged Hall the other day, as somebody told me Bill Brown wasn’t too well. So I went to see him, seeing as we’ve traded things together over the years. And that was when I saw his grandson. I nearly dropped down dead – he was the spit of you.’ Archie stopped in his tracks and looked across at his son. ‘The baby that Amy Brown was carrying all those years back was yours, lad, and he’s back: grown up and living with his grandfather.’

Danny stared at his father, not knowing what to say.