‘I’m sorry, Luke,’ Kerensa said, looking at Alice hopelessly. ‘Mama was very silly.’

‘Looks like you’re going to need all your patience,’ Alice commented wryly to Kerensa.

‘Where’s Jack?’ Olivia asked, clutching at Kerensa’s other hand. ‘Why hasn’t he come with you?’

‘Jack is too poorly, my love,’ Kerensa said softly, running her hands through Olivia’s hair to tame the long red length that had fallen out of its ribbons, re-establishing herself as her mother. ‘He’ll come home when he’s better.’ Kerensa knew Olivia adored Jack and she would be distraught if he died.

They alighted from the cart at the manor’s front door and Alice gave the baby to Cherry who rushed her away to the nursery, with Olivia close on her heels.

As Morley drove away with Alice sitting up beside him and waving goodbye, Luke said disparagingly, ‘That was the most uncomfortable ride I’ve ever had. Look at the mess those beasts have made on the carriageway.’

Kane looked anxiously at Kerensa, who was leaning on Polly’s arm. ‘Well, I enjoyed it. Mama is tired, she needs to rest. Let’s go and play and we can see her a little later.’

Kane pulled on his brother’s arm and without a word Luke stalked off with him, scowling. Kerensa stood at the front of her home feeling quite numb.

‘He’ll get over it, m’lady,’ Polly said, helping Kerensa inside. ‘You know what Master Luke is like, he doesn’t really mean what he says, and what with you and Jack being attacked and now a new baby to preoccupy you, it’ll take him a while to settle down.’

‘I know,’ Kerensa sighed as she allowed the housekeeper to fuss over her, ‘and I can’t say I blame him for being upset.’

She had only just settled, half-lying on a sofa and happy to be back in her own surroundings, when Polly appeared.

‘There’s someone to see you, m’lady,’ she said quietly, her face grave.

Kerensa jumped up and started forward. Polly looked at her compassionately and stopped her rushing out of the room. ‘It’s not Sir Oliver, m’lady. It’s a Mr Ralph Harrt.’

Disappointment so quickly on top of her hope left Kerensa feeling weaker than before and she sat down to receive her visitor. Ralph Harrt would not be paying her a social call. He was one of the local magistrates.

Chapter 27

Matthias Renfree sat at the solid oak desk in the agreeable surroundings of the parlour of Ker-an-Mor Farm. He was trying to concentrate on the figures he was noting down from receipts covering the last month’s expenditure on the farmhouse and the items bought for the upkeep of the estate and tenants’ dwellings. He wrote the word ‘plait’ instead of ‘price’ and slapped his pen down in a rare fit of temper.