He lifted his shoulders in an apologetic shrug. ‘With Matthew being posted missing, then coming home and yet not being well enough to run things, well, I’d completely forgotten we hadn’t legalized things from your point of view.’

Esther bit her lip, stopping the words from bursting out. But what’s going to happen? she wanted to cry. What’s to happen now I’m really alone?

At his next words, all her questions were answered and all her fears allayed.

‘The war changed a lot of things for us all, Esther my dear. The biggest change it has brought about has been for women. They’ve proved they can do men’s work when the men are no longer there. And you, more than most, have proved you can run that farm, single-handed if need be.’ His keen, knowing eyes met hers and then he glanced away and cleared his throat.

So, Esther thought, the squire had known all along how her neighbours had ostracized her over her affair with Jonathan. He had known how she had struggled to cope alone. Yet he had never censured her, never used his power to oust her as he could well have done.

Now the jovial man in front of her was slapping his knees and beaming at her. ‘Well, my dear, I intend to put all this right. You shall have the tenancy of Brumbys’ Farm in your own name. Just as you wanted it all that time ago.’

Esther smiled at him in return and expressed her gratitude. She could not let him know that if only he had agreed to this almost ten years earlier, a great deal of unhappiness might have been prevented.

There was a cruel irony in the fact that after all this time she had what she had then wanted most in life. Now, it was not what she wanted the most. Not now, not since she had known real love.

She sighed softly to herself. Once the squire’s change of heart would have filled her with ecstasy. Although she did still feel a deep satisfaction at the knowledge that her future, and that of her daughter, was secure, the thrill, the pinnacle of all her dreams as she had once supposed securing the tenancy of Brumbys’ Farm would be, was no more.

She was standing shaking the squire’s hand and he was saying, ‘I’ll not forget the business of the motor car, my dear. Just give me a few days . . .’

True to his word, the following week the squire fetched the motor car.

Esther dusted her hands together. ‘I’m glad to see the back of that,’ she muttered, as the vehicle, coughing and spluttering, disappeared up the lane. But in her own mind she was doubtful she would see her money back.

Esther was wrong.