That night it took Esther half an hour to help Sam up the steep stairs to his bedroom and the next day he did not even try to get up out of his bed.

A worried frown creasing her forehead, Esther went out into the pale morning to cope with the milking. She felt more weary than she could ever remember feeling in her young life. Hard work, whatever the weather, had never exhausted her as caring for Sam was doing. Each night she slept restlessly, waking every hour or so to listen to his rasping, painful breathing. Several times a night she would drag herself from her warm bed and, bare-footed, pad across the wooden floors to his room. There was little she could do to ease his suffering, except raise him up on his pillows and give him a drink. Some nights when he seemed even worse, she would go down to the kitchen and heat up some broth on the glowing embers of the range. He scarcely managed more than a spoonful or two and it seemed a waste of time, yet she had to try.

He was so cold that each night she heated three bricks in the range oven, wrapped them in thick, woollen rags and placed one either side of him in the bed and one at his feet.

Now, this morning, he was weaker than ever.

She leant her head against Clover’s warm stomach and closed her eyes. The cow, somehow sensing Esther’s distress, stood patiently waiting for her udders to be emptied.

‘You sleeping on the job?’

She jumped at the sound of Matthew’s teasing voice and, lifting her head, saw his shadowy form in the half-light of the cowshed. Bringing her head up sharply, she snapped back an answer. She was in no mood for his horseplay this morning. ‘An’ if I am, it’s no thanks to you. Up half the night with poor old Sam and all the work to do on the farm. Where’ve you been? Just when I could use a bit of help, you disappear for days on end!’

Matthew moved forward and now, Esther had to admit, there was genuine concern in his tone. ‘Is he worse?’

The anger went out of her as swiftly as it had come. Her voice breaking slightly, she told him, ‘He’s much worse. He – he had the lawyer here yesterday . . .’

‘Oh, Lord!’

‘. . . and today he dun’t seem to have the energy to try and get out of his bed. Would you go for the doctor, Matthew?’

‘Of course, I’ll go right now.’ He made as if to leave and then, turning back briefly, he added, ‘And from tonight, I’ll stay here with you and give you a hand with him.’

Esther opened her mouth to protest, but Matthew had gone.