Ameline skirted the remains of a gull killed by a bird of prey, holding a handkerchief to her nose in case there was a bad smell. She assumed some boy had killed it; she assumed that anything nasty she came across had suffered at the hands of some awful boy. That made her think of Luke Pengarron, not that he would do such a dreadful thing because she knew he loved animals and birds, but because at times he possessed that sullen look that could proceed to an act of cruelty. She thought of all three Pengarron children and drew in her brows as it struck her that they had become restrained in their behaviour, with Luke in particular inclined to be tetchy and ill-tempered. They ran often to Kerensa with minor complaints or petty quarrels for her to sort out, and if she was not immediately at hand, to Beatrice for comfort and sweetmeats. Ameline wrinkled her nose at the thought of the ageing servant. No one as disgustingly filthy and evil-smelling would be allowed to enter her household when she acquired one.

Ameline did not possess the kind of imagination which would have suggested what the source of the trouble might be and she was unlikely to find out unless she asked some direct questions. But this was not in her nature and there was no tittle-tattle to be overheard at Pengarron Manor. She had brought her own personal maid with her, but Peters considered herself superior to the manor’s staff, even to Polly, who once worked at Tolwithrick. She kept herself apart from the others so it was unlikely Ameline would glean anything useful from her.

She reached the end of the path with an ungainly slither and with a start it occurred to her that what she was witnessing in Kerensa was a tightly held-in sadness.

‘What is wrong with your mistress?’ she asked Kernick. She looked about for something to tie the pony’s reins to. There was nothing, but remembering that Kerensa had left them untethered she let them fall from her fingers and told Kernick sternly, ‘You are not to wander off.’

She took a few steps then gazed up and down the lonely beach and set her eyes on the restless sea. Although she was there with the intention of thinking about her own future, she was unable to get Kerensa out of her mind. Ameline couldn’t believe there was anything amiss with the other young woman’s marriage; it was based firmly on a deep, passionate, devoted love. It had to be something else. She would have to keep herself alert, watch and listen carefully but unobtrusively. If she could discover the reason for the uncharacteristic sulky atmosphere in the Pengarron household then perhaps before she left she might be able to help.