‘We will bring her here to meet you.’ Louise offered Dwight some small cakes, and when he shook his head she replaced the plate on the table. ‘As you can see, we have become protective where Eugenie, or Jenny, as she prefers to be called now, is concerned. Would you object to my being present when you talk to her?’

‘And me,’ Matt said.

She nodded. ‘And my son Matthew, who has recently come out of hospital after being injured saving Jenny from a violent attack.’

Dwight was appalled. ‘Attacked? That’s terrible! Would you tell me what happened?’

Matt explained about the violent incident and who was responsible.

‘Nasty things have been going on.’ Dwight shook his head in concern. ‘I now understand Miss Winford’s need to get away from her aunt, but if she had contacted me, then none of this would have been necessary.’

‘She couldn’t if she didn’t know anything about you,’ Matt pointed out.

‘As soon as her father died, I sent her a telegram asking her to get in touch with me.’ Anger blazed in the lawyer’s eyes. ‘It looks as if her aunt never gave her the message. You say they were trying to make her marry this older man?’

‘Yes, she has had a very difficult time.’ Louise refilled his cup. ‘But you haven’t said whether we may be present.’

‘I can see that Cyrus’s daughter has been badly treated and that makes me very angry. As you obviously care for her, I will agree if you promise that you will remain in the background and not interfere with the meeting in any way. And only if she tells me that she wishes you to be present.’

‘She will,’ Matt stated with confidence. ‘It’s Sunday tomorrow and I don’t think she’s working in the afternoon, so I’ll bring her to you then.’

‘Thank you.’ Dwight appeared satisfied with the arrangements and settled back to enjoy his tea.

Matt studied him carefully: outwardly he was calm, but the expression in his eyes was one of fury. Dwight Roberts was a very angry man indeed.

The moment Sunday lunch was over, Matt drove to Lambeth. Dwight had pressed them for her address over dinner last night, but they had refused to give it. At first he had been annoyed by their intransigence, but after listening to more of what had happened to her over the last two years, he had understood.

Matt was apprehensive as he knocked on Jenny’s door. He desperately wanted to protect her, but the lawyer had come over as soon as he’d heard that someone knew where she was. They had no right to stop that meeting. He believed she was strong enough to face almost anything now, but, if not, he would be there to support her.

‘Come in,’ Jenny called at his second knock.