Briony stood up in the water and held up her arms as Mrs Horlock wrapped her in a towel. The little ribcage was visible through her blue-white skin and the tiny nipples, no bigger than farthings, were hard with the cold of the scullery. For the first time ever Mrs Horlock hugged a little child and, after wrapping her in the towel, put her on her lap and cuddled her close.

Briony automatically returned the hug and made herself a friend for life. The smallness of Briony, the very vulnerability that inflamed Henry Dumas, made Mrs Horlock, for the first time, aware of what the child was to do. Maybe it was her complete acceptance of the situation that upset her, she didn’t know, all she knew was that Briony Cavanagh was the smallest child yet, and no matter how much she dressed it up, it began to bother her.

But she dressed her in a white nightie and took her up to the morning room and Henry Dumas.

Henry was astounded at the change in the child. As she sat chatting with him in front of the fire, her hair began to dry. First one tight spiral of red hair sprang up on top of her head, and then another. It amazed him, and he smiled to himself. She was exquisite. Her little feet were long and thin, and what shapely ankles...

Briony was shocked a bit at first when he dropped on to his knees and pushed up her nightdress. Now the time had come, it seemed her big talk and lioness courage were going to fail her. But they didn’t. Instead, she forced herself to relax, because Cissy told her it hurt more if you tensed up. Looking down at Mr Dumas’ head, she saw her nightie all scrunched up and cried out. Henry Dumas looked at her in concern. He hadn’t even touched her yet!

Jumping from the chair, Briony took off the nightdress and, folding it carefully, placed it on the chairback. Then, naked, she went and sat on his knee, slipping her slender arms around his neck. Looking into his face she smiled tremulously.

‘Am I doing right, Mr Dumas, sir?’ The little eager voice made him want to tear into her there and then, but he stopped himself.

Instead he laid her on the carpet in front of the fire and traced every line of her body with the tips of his fingers.

‘You’re doing very well, Briony, very well indeed.’