Jeremy frowned. “I do not think so, sir. David Evans is a Methodist preacher.”

“Oh! Well, yes. I suppose you are right. And indeed it is not much like a hallucination brought on by drunkenness. It is more the sort of thing one might imagine if one took opium after reading one of Mrs Radcliffe’s novels.”

Strange found himself unsettled by Mr Hyde’s visit. The thought of Arabella – even an ideal, imaginary Arabella – lost in the snow, wandering upon the hilltops, was disturbing. He could not help but be reminded of his own mother, who had taken to walking those same hills alone to escape the miseries of an unhappy marriage and who had caught a chill in a rainstorm and died.

That evening at dinner he said to Arabella, “I saw John Hyde today. He thought he saw you walking upon the Dyke last Tuesday in the middle of a snow-storm.”

“No!”

“Yes.”

“Poor man! He must have been a good deal startled.”

“I believe he was.”

“I shall certainly visit Mr and Mrs Hyde when Henry is here.”

“You seem intent upon visiting every body in Shropshire when Henry is here,” said Strange. “I hope you will not be disappointed.”

“Disappointed! What do you mean?”

“Only that the weather is bad.”

“Then we will tell Harris to drive slowly and carefully. But he would do that anyway. And Starling is a very steady horse. It takes a great deal of snow and ice to frighten Starling. He is not easily daunted. Besides, you know, there are people whom Henry must visit – people who would be most unhappy if he did not. Jenny and Alwen – my father’s two old servants. They talk of nothing but Henry’s coming. It is five years since they saw him last and they are scarcely likely to last another five years, poor things.”

“Very well! Very well! I only said that the weather would be bad. That is all.”

But that was not quite all. Strange was aware that Arabella had high hopes of this visit. She had seen her brother only rarely since her marriage. He had not come to Soho-square as often as she would have liked and, once there, he had never stayed as long as she wished. But this Christmas visit would restore all their old intimacy. They would be together among all the scenes of their childhood and Henry had promised to stay almost a month.

Henry arrived and at first it seemed that Arabella’s dearest wishes would all be answered. The conversation at dinner that evening was very animated. Henry had a great deal of news to relate about Great Hitherden, the Northamptonshire village where he was Rector.²

Great Hitherden was a large and prosperous village. There were several gentlemen’s families in the neighbourhood. Henry was highly pleased with the respectable place he occupied in its society. After a long description of his friends and their dinner-parties and balls, he ended by saying, “But I would not have you think that we neglect charitable works. We are a very active neighbourhood. There is much to do and many distressed persons. The day before yesterday I paid a visit to a poor, sick family and I found Miss Watkins already at the cottage, dispensing money and good advice. Miss Watkins is a very compassionate young lady.” Here he paused as if expecting someone to say something.