Kerensa pouted her lips, picked up a long straw and bent it over and over while she considered. ‘Well, you’re sort of bubbly. More like you were when you lived at the manor.’

‘Oh, that sort of different. I suppose I had become rather matronly over the years,’ Alice said breezily, ‘and I suppose I do feel sort of… bubbly today.’

‘You’ve been the same way since the baby was born. If it’s going to make such a difference to you perhaps I should come over to the farm next time I want to deliver a baby.’ Alice looked at her friend to see if the remark reminded her that the father of the baby she was holding and any future babies was not around any more, but Kerensa was in a lighthearted mood today.

Alice smiled contentedly, more to herself than to Kerensa.

They reached the part of the rutted track where the attack had occurred and Kerensa looked anxiously about. She shuddered at the pale stains on the ground where she’d been forced to leave Jack lying hurt.

‘Don’t you worry, m’dear,’ Morley called back to her. ‘They swine be long gone from hereabouts by now.’

‘Aye,’ Nathan added from his horse, patting the firearm resting across his saddle, ‘and this’ll see to any troublemakers, m’lady.’

‘We’re ready for anything, m’lady,’ Adam said, in a tough voice, ‘and Nathan’s dogs are running about sniffing everything in sight. You have nothing to worry about.’

‘You all right?’ Alice asked, squeezing her arm.

Kerensa assured them all that she was and the company fell silent. She didn’t regain her earlier light mood until they were travelling over the manor’s parklands.

Kerensa watched the way Alice was cooing to her baby even though she was peacefully sleeping.

‘I know,’ she said triumphantly, clapping a hand down on Alice’s arm, ‘you’re having another baby yourself. I should have guessed at once. You always gaze wistfully at every new baby in the parish when you’re expecting.’

‘I am not,’ Alice replied in a sing-song voice. ‘I just love to hold a newborn babe, that’s all, and it’s been so good having you to stay for a couple of days. Rosie is very sweet and I love the maid dearly, but she’s so quiet these days. It’s been a real treat having another woman in the house again.’

‘I’m afraid I didn’t get much chance to speak to Rosie with my concern over the baby and Jack. How is she? How’s the romance going? Is there to be a wedding? Is that why you’re so bubbly?’