‘Yes, I’m afraid so, but not so often as he’s got older. He never remembers what’s in them but I imagine they’re about his early days spent in that brothel or perhaps the fight I had to put up to get him away from his dreadful father.’

‘Well, he’s got a good home, a good mother and father now, and he absolutely adores you, Kerensa. It don’t bear thinking about what might have happened if you hadn’t come across him when you did. And if you ask me he’s going to be a fine-looking young man. He’ll give Luke and my boys a run for the maids later on, what with those big sad eyes of his, you wait and see.’ Alice smiled warmly at Kerensa, she knew how protective her friend was over the boy brought up as the Pengarrons’ own son.

‘It’s a shame Clem won’t allow Philip and David to come over here to play with my boys,’ Kerensa said with real regret, ‘and little Jessica and Olivia would enjoy each other’s company so much.’

‘Well, you know the same as me what Clem’s views are on the matter. He can be every bit as stubborn as Sir Oliver if he’s a mind to be. Anyway, Kerensa, think of it, your boys and mine, they’d probably start a feud between the next Pengarron and Trenchard generation.’

‘But they should have the chance to see if they’ll get along or not. It’s mainly Clem who has any ill feeling and that’s only against Oliver. I do understand his reasons but I wish he’d change his mind. I get very little chance to see your children.’

Kerensa thought back over painful memories of Clem’s anguish when he learned they couldn’t be married and the clashes he’d had with Oliver. She wondered if Clem would change his mind if she approached him herself, but the opportunity to talk to Clem alone was rare.

‘Well, things aren’t likely to change, I’m afraid,’ Alice sighed. ‘Men must have their pride.’

Olivia ran up and dropped a doll into Kerensa’s lap and asked her to tie up the fiddly fastenings on its dress. Then she showed Alice the latest addition Oliver had brought home to the overflowing nursery.

Alice admired the doll, lifted Olivia up on her lap and cuddled her, then leaned over to Kerensa as if she was about to divulge a secret. ‘You’ll never guess what Clem is up to now.’

‘Tell me,’ Kerensa returned eagerly. She liked to hear about Clem.

‘Believe it or not he’s trying to get Rosie and Matthias Renfree together.’