‘To be fair,’ she said as she set two glasses on the living-room table and poured out a glass of the clear liquid, ‘we haven’t clashed much of late. She was almost civil to me the last time I went to church.’

Tom had kept his promise, she thought to herself. His wife and Flo were obeying his command.

‘She’s not a bad woman, Esther,’ the squire was saying. ‘Just a bit of a gossip and full of – what shall we say?’ He looked up at her somewhat coyly. ‘Righteous indignation?’

It was in her power to disillusion him, but instead Esther sat down opposite him and, taking a sip from her own glass, said, ‘Aye, well, Squire, I s’pose I did cause a bit of a stir when I came here.’

The squire chuckled. ‘You were a trifle – headstrong, shall we say? And I’ll tell you something else, Esther Hilton.’

‘What’s that, Squire?’

‘This wine’s damned good!’

Across the table they smiled at each other.

Of course Matthew’s new and expensive toy created a lot of interest amongst those at Fleethaven Point. From the adults there was incredulity.

‘Have you gone quite mad, Esther?’ Ma Harris demanded. ‘Did you ought to let him be driving around – in his state? He’ll kill himself – or someone else in that – that – thing!’

‘I’ve told you what I think about it, Ma,’ was Esther’s reply. ‘But there’s not a lot I can do – not without making Matthew look a fool. I dun’t want to do that even though I’m mad as heck at him.’

‘But to spend all yar money on a car, Esther lass.’ Ma Harris shook her head. ‘Eh, what will become of him? Ya’ve got yar work cut out with him, an’ no mistake. Ya’ll ’ave to keep yar eye on ’im, lass. There’s no telling what he’ll do next!’

Amongst the young people of the small community, however, there was wholehearted approval for ‘Mester Hilton’s motor’. It caused great excitement, and most days would find Matthew at the wheel and the motor car overflowing with children begging a ride. Always in the front seat rode Kate and Danny Eland with beaming faces and lording it over their friends.

Esther could not be persuaded to ride in the motor car, not even to be driven to church.

‘You’re just being plain awkward, Esther,’ Matthew growled. ‘You’re still trying to make me feel bad for taking yar money and buying it.’