In answer he chuckled softly and disappeared down the stairs. She followed, copying his light tread as carefully as she could. This was not easy, and she half hopped, half jumped from one step to the next, making sure she landed as evenly as she could on her good foot as she tried to keep up with him.

‘Papa, slow down. What is this all about?’

He was sitting on her bench, holding up her boots with an expectant glint in his eyes. ‘I’m taking you to see the stars. I could not sleep, and then I thought of our star-gazing adventures, as you reminded me at dinner.’ He sighed. ‘It gave me such pleasure back when you were small …’

Luna saw hesitation press upon his closed lips. Her father seemed lost for words. She sat and rested a hand on his shoulder, fearing ill health. ‘Papa? What ails you?’

‘Is it so strange that I want to spend time with my little moon?’ He was smiling at her.

She flushed with pleasure. He’d heard her request and now here they were, about to go star gazing. ‘Of course not, Papa, thank you.’ She took the boots. ‘I’ll get these on as quickly as I can.’

Beside the bench was a wicker basket and from within she took out a linen cloth, breathing in the heady smell of lavender and sweet rosemary before the witch hazel stung her nostrils. The unctions Livia rubbed into the linen cloths eased the throbbing and disguised the smell of her stump; it sweated profusely when she walked in her boots for a lengthy time and it would rub and sometimes blister. That was agony. Her father was gathering their cloaks and stood above her, waiting. She wrapped her stump in the infused cloth before pushing it into the boot till she felt the padding towards the heel end. Then she added more padding into the toe end of the shoe until it was firm enough to stand and walk on. She worked quickly but she did not know where they were going or how long they must walk, so it was important to be prepared. The left boot was laced and done in no time.

‘These cloaks will do the job against the night’s cold.’ He held one out and Luna pushed her arms through the sleeves and tied the cord about her waist, enjoying the snug protection; she wore only her night shift beneath. She didn’t want to say or do anything that might change her father’s mind, so she grabbed her cane from its spot beside the bench and followed him down the stairs where he turned into the corridor that led to the back of the house and the garden.