‘It’s said he has even suspended his harvesting for half a day. Unthinkable!’

Beatrice would get to hear each and every comment by and by and would be greatly amused by them all.

In view of her age – she retired most evenings at nine o’clock – the party was being held throughout the day, with guests coming and going at their leisure. In the manner of a dowager duchess, to the accompaniment of stringed instruments, she held court from a barrel-shaped chair raised on a specially built platform. She was gruesomely resplendent in a new dress of shades of blue, the divided skirt criss-crossed with tiny silk flowers, a white wig, not too tall or heavy and flowered and feathered by Polly and Cordelia, and new shoes with shiny brass buckles, all gifts from her master and mistress. A lace handkerchief hung importantly from her wrist.

With a never empty glass of the highest quality gin, she grinned hideously while receiving the gifts or good wishes from the manor’s servants, the Renfrees and estate workers, and invited servants from other great houses – her gossip machine. There were also those she numbered among her friends, like an equally haggard-looking crone known as Painted Bessie, who kept a cliff-top kiddleywink, where smuggling operations, Oliver’s among them, had been arranged for over three decades.

Oliver and Kerensa kept attendance on either side of Beatrice’s chair. When she was given a present, she said regally, ‘How kind. Thank you for coming.’ Then after taking a sharp-eyed look at it, humming her approval or not, she passed it to Oliver, saying in her usual dribbling rasp, ‘Put un on the table with the others, boy.’ For every good wish, she said, ‘Well, I’ve the good Lord and these two dear people ’ere to thank for livin’ long enough to see this day.’ Then, in most cases, she leaned confidentially towards Kerensa and whispered what she really thought about the well-wisher.

Kane, limping with the aid of a stylish ebony stick, gave Beatrice a box made from Pengarron oak, the size of a small wall cabinet, with compartments inside and a handle attached for carrying, for her awesome collection of herbal potions and medicines. Throughout the rest of the proceedings he kept a watchful eye on his parents.

It was half past two when Bartholomew brought Tamara, and Jessica brought Harry down from the nursery so that Beatrice could dangle them, with help, one at a time on her knee.

Bartholomew teased the old woman. ‘You must be about ready to take a little nap now, eh, Beatrice?’

‘Gis on with ’ee, not a weary bone in me ol’ body t’day. I’m not goin’ to miss a moment of my birthday.’

Luke and Jack had ridden over to Marazion in the morning to buy something for Beatrice. Luke chose a pretty cameo brooch and Jack the old woman’s favourite selections of sweetmeats.