He tossed the damp sleepsuit on the floor with an exclamation of distaste and glanced towards the bathroom.

‘I’m going to be right back—don’t move.’ He straightened up and walked into the bathroom, wetting a flannel and picking up a towel. By the time he returned the baby had rolled off the mat and was kicking happily on the carpet.

Alex laughed softly. ‘Think you’re clever, do you? Drying yourself off on my carpet.’ He knelt down, lifted her back onto the changing mat and gently washed her while she gurgled and tried to grab his face with her tiny hands. ‘Keep still. You’re dealing with a total amateur.’

Finally he was satisfied that she was dry and reached for a nappy, opening it up and looking at it doubtfully.

‘Which way up does this thing go? Have you any idea?’ He pulled a face at the baby who chuckled and clapped her hands. ‘Stop laughing. Tapes at the front or tapes at the back?’

He experimented, decided which was correct and then tried to slip it under Daisy’s bottom, but she’d decided that this was a great game and proceeded to twist and wriggle until he grunted with frustration.

‘For crying out loud, baby,’ he growled, wincing as the tapes stuck themselves to the hair on his arms for the third time. ‘Ouch! This is worse than sticky plasters. Thank goodness my sisters Katy and Libby can’t see me now. I’d never hear the last of it. Just lie still, will you? Don’t you know a beginner when you see one?’

Finally he managed to secure the nappy and dress her in a clean sleepsuit.

‘There. You’re dry now.’ He picked her up and she snuggled against him, her eyes drifting shut immediately.

Alex looked down at her and sucked in a breath. She looked utterly defenceless.

‘You poor scrap. You’ve lost your mother and no one seems to know who your father is,’ he murmured, stroking her head softly as he supported her. ‘I honestly don’t think it’s me but we’re trying to find out for sure and if it is—well, I suppose we’ll come to some agreement. Try not to worry. At least you’ve got your Aunty Jenny and she seems pretty good at homely things. She makes your food from scratch and I’m sure it’s very healthy—even though it does look disgusting.’

He wondered why Jenny hadn’t woken up. Maybe she was exhausted. It occurred to him that she must have had a very tough six months, what with losing her sister and being landed with a baby that wasn’t hers.

No wonder she was looking for help.

He settled the baby in the cot and watched her sleep, his expression suddenly thoughtful.

He’d always thought that having a baby would be just about the worst thing in the world but suddenly he wasn’t so sure.

There was certainly nothing horrifying about Daisy.

She was incredibly sweet.

Shocked by his own thoughts, he swore softly and raked long fingers through his dark hair.