Olivia ran to Jack and put something in his hand. ‘Here’s a biscuit for you, Jack,’ she said, her little face disclosing she was highly amused at upsetting Ameline. She would doubtless share the moment with her two brothers at the earliest opportunity and they would all laugh at the young lady’s affront. ‘I’d better go. Don’t take any notice of Ameline, she’s cross because it’s raining and she can’t go out riding.’

Jack took a small bite of biscuit and gave the rest to Reeth. Reeth seemed to be perking up, he ate the biscuit quickly but let his head flop down as if all the attention was too much for him. Jack ruffled his ears affectionately and felt all over his lean body for fever. ‘You’re getting better, boy, and you’re getting used to all this pampering.’

He picked up his polishing cloth but was soon interrupted again. Beatrice burst in with a full bottle of gin clasped to her huge drooping bosom as tenderly as a new mother nurses a baby. She shook her ugly head, scattering raindrops over Conomor’s saddle and making Jack suck in his breath in irritation. Slamming the door shut, Beatrice heaved her fat flabby body down on the old backless chair she kept against the wall in the tack room for her furtive bibbing. She took a swig of cloudy liquid and hummed to herself.

In a while Jack asked her quietly, ‘What’s going on, Bea?’ his eyes darting round the room as if he feared he might be overheard.

‘’Ow do ’ee mean, boy?’ Beatrice was immediately on the defensive. ‘I only come out ’ere for a quick sup. I don’t do nobody no ’arm. If ’ee don’t like it I’ll take meself off somewhere else, I edn’t afeared of a drop o’ rain.’

‘No, what I mean is what’s gone wrong between His Lordship and Her Ladyship? They aren’t happy no more. Why did they have that awful big row? They’ve hardly had a cross word since the time Her Ladyship brought young Master Kane home from the market. Something bad must’ve happened. He’s always in a bad temper and she looks so sad all the time. Why’s he acting that way, upsetting Her Ladyship?’ Although Oliver was responsible for Jack’s good position and something of a hero to him, if anything was wrong between his mistress and master, like all the servants he declared Oliver to be the villain of the piece.