‘It’s Grandmama, she’s dying! I had to come – Jethro couldn’t find Ethan to come and tell you, and he couldn’t come himself because he had a horse foaling.’ Luke had decided to be the bearer of the news instead of Jethro’s son, the stable boy, Ethan, who had disappeared as usual, probably to wander and wonder at the surrounding countryside, a regular occupation of his. Luke’s voice rang out up the stairs to his father, making the shop girls stop in their tracks and the shoppers shake their heads in acknowledgement of the bad news that Charlotte Atkinson, the owner of Atkinson’s, was on her deathbed.

‘Quiet, boy. Now tell me: how bad is she?’ James came down and stood at the bottom of the stairs, before placing his hand on his son’s shoulder to calm him down.

‘The doctor says she’ll not be with us much longer, and that Mother has to come home. He says Grandmama’s had a stroke. Grandpapa found her this morning – she can’t move!’ Luke looked pleadingly into his father’s eyes, secretly regretting now that he had been so hasty to become the bearer of such bad news and realizing just what his message meant to the family. He hung his head and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. He wouldn’t cry; young men did not cry and show their emotions, although his grandmama was the mainstay of the family and he loved her dearly.

‘Good man for coming to tell your mother.’ James patted his son’s shoulders. ‘I’ll go and tell her. Go and see to your horse. Take it to the livery stable at the Red Lion and ask for a fresh one to take you home, or ask for someone to take you both.’ He looked around the shop floor, where the staff were trying to go about their jobs, while being aware of the family tragedy unfolding.

‘I’ll take Mama home. I can do it, Father, I want to do it. I’ll get a team and leave my horse, then you can ride it home. I’ll be outside, waiting for Mama.’ Luke looked up at his father; he knew his horse was tired, but he wanted to finish what he’d started. To change it would mean wasting time, and his mother would never notice, if he didn’t tell her. He wanted to be the one who took care of his mama, getting her to the bedside of her dying mother as soon as he could. Changing horse would cost precious minutes.

‘Very well, I haven’t time to argue. But see to it that you do change the horses. Your mother will be with you shortly.’