‘Right? Oh, you think you know a lot about doing what’s right, Jack Rosevear. Well, I will have to manage without my cousin from now on and I can also manage without you.’

‘I’ll leave if that’s what you want,’ Jack said coolly, ‘but I’ll not take your money.’

Luke slashed at the money order with the back of his hand. ‘Take it for Alicia’s sake! Or are you so selfish you’d deny her a comfortable life in order to keep your sanctimoniousness? Go when she is fit to travel. You are no longer a Pengarron servant or a friend of mine.’

‘I accept I’ve hurt your feelings over Miss Cordelia’s elopement, but I don’t deserve this much spite from you. I thought that you and I were friends, but I realize I never knew you at all. My wife and I will leave here tomorrow. I’m sorry, sir, that things have ended this way.’

The door crashed open and Jack was nearly knocked off his feet.

‘Jack, sir, come quick! Come quick!’ Amy Curnow came bursting in, flushed and flapping her hands, so agitated she had not taken in the raised voices. ‘She’s in labour! Mrs Jack’s pains are so bad, it’ll be all over ’fore the hour’s up. You have to come right now.’

Jack froze. From the floor below there came the sound of a loud groan of pain.

Luke grabbed his shoulder. ‘Move, Jack!’

The two men shoved Amy Curnow aside and clattered down the spiral staircase and sprinted into Jack’s bedroom.

Alicia was on the bed, propped up by pillows, knees drawn up, face twisted horribly as she endured a strong contraction. Mabena, her own pregnancy clearly showing, was holding her hand. Another of the maids was anxiously laying out the things put aside for this event.

‘Ah, ah, ah, ah, ahhhhh!’ Alicia clutched the pillows.

‘Right, right,’ Luke said, white-faced. ‘You stay with Alicia, Jack, and I’ll fetch Dr Leane.’

‘What do I do?’ Jack panicked, staring wide-eyed at his wife, who was now blowing out through her mouth as the pain subsided. ‘It’s coming too early, will it be all right?’

‘You can get out the room, both of you.’ Amy Curnow hurried in after them, rolling up her sleeves. ‘There’s no time to get that old fool from Gwithian. I’ll see t’ this, I’ve done it afore. Don’t worry about the earliness of it, my maid was born two month too soon an’ she survived. Go on, get! And open up all the doors and windows.’

Jack and Luke exchanged terrified glances.

‘Are you sure there’s no time to get the doctor?’ Luke demanded.

‘Oww-ah! I need to push,’ Alicia shrieked, ‘I need to push!’

‘’Twill be all right, m’dear,’ Amy Curnow was at the bed, pushing up Alicia’s nightdress.