Ted Trembath declined Kerensa’s offer of refreshment and when she closed the study door the miner shambled hesitantly to the front of Oliver’s desk. He peered round the room, clearly impressed by all he saw. Oliver told him to sit down. Ted did so and laid his hat carefully on his lap, stealing a quick look out of the nearest window to see what grew in the garden.

‘I’ll show you over the grounds one day, Ted,’ Oliver offered tonelessly.

Ted coloured and cleared his throat apologetically. ‘Sorry, m’lord, I didn’t mean no disrespect.’

‘I know that, Ted. What can I do for you?’

Ted Trembath had known Oliver for years, he had smuggled for him until his youngest brother had been tragically killed on a run. Ted was numbered among the many local working-class men with whom Oliver got along well, but Ted was ill at ease in the powerful man’s house.

‘Well, first I do thank ’ee for seeing me so prompt. As you can see, because of the accident back along I’ve got a gammy leg and I’ll never climb down a mine shaft again on un, and in any case I’m a brave bit old to be going on as a working miner and would have to give it up soon anyway. With no more than meself to look after now Mother and me brothers are all gone these last years, I’ve managed to put a small bit by and that’s seen me through the accident. Well, the thing is, I’ll be leaving the cottage on the Downs soon, so a younger miner can take it, and,’ Ted looked down shyly, ‘I’ve a mind to marry Hunk Hunken’s widow, Lou. She’s a good woman and could do with a man to father her littl’uns. Her oldest boy is about to get married himself and he’s taking on her cottage. Well, the reason that I’m here, sir, is the offer you made back along, after young Davey died if you mind it, of finding me a cottage and work on the estate if ever I do need it.’

It was a long speech for the humble miner. He couldn’t look Oliver in the eye at its end and rested his sight on the fresh ink blots on the desk and papers. Self-consciously Oliver placed fresh pieces of paper over the ones he’d ruined. He liked and respected Ted Trembath and the insecurity he was experiencing of late pushed him to give the other man an explanation for the ink blots; something he would never have done before.