‘She was pleased enough to oblige me and I saw to it that she left with enough money to rid herself of the child. It was her choice to keep him.’

Daisy stared at him in disgust. ‘As far as I can see you’ve done nothing for Jay other than send him to prison for some minor offence, and now you want to make his mother suffer even more. What sort of man are you?’

‘They were both taken care of when she married that psalm-singing gamekeeper, no doubt using my money as a dowry.’

‘Then you can’t be certain that Jay is your son.’

‘He was supposed to be a seven-month baby, but I know better. Anyway, this has nothing to do with you. You’ve twisted the conversation round to make me out to be the villain of the piece, when I am the one who has been wronged.’

‘You’ve turned Jay into a fugitive and you’ve threatened his family, and mine. How dare you stand there and say that you’ve been badly treated?’

He threw back his head and laughed. ‘You really are a woman after my own heart.’ His expression darkened. ‘But you use your beauty to torment a man, and then you walk away. I offered you marriage and you refused. You’ve hurt and humiliated me, so why should I not do the same to you?’

‘Because that’s just the way you are, Squire. For one thing I hardly know you, and what I have learned about you doesn’t bode well.’

‘Then you need to get to know me better, my dear.’ Tattersall moved a little closer. ‘I could say I was smitten by your undoubted charms, but I can see you would be hard to convince.’

‘You are right in that, sir. You’ve never once mentioned love or even affection, and you have no respect for anyone’s feelings other than your own. You seem to think you can use your wealth and position to get whatever you desire. Well, sir, it isn’t so. I wouldn’t marry you if you were literally the last man on earth.’

There was a moment of complete silence. Daisy held her breath, waiting for the storm to break over her head, but to her surprise the squire shrugged and opened the door.

‘Come in, Mrs Marshall. I have no doubt that you were standing outside with your ear to the keyhole.’

Eleanora fluttered into the room, her cheeks suspiciously pink. ‘I did no such thing, sir. But you were shouting so loudly that I’m sure that you could be heard in the kitchen.’

‘The squire was just leaving, Aunt,’ Daisy said firmly. ‘We have nothing more to say to each other.’

Esmond Tattersall picked up his top hat, cane and gloves. ‘There’s one thing you’ll learn about me, Miss Marshall. I never give up. If I want something badly enough I will persevere until I win.’ He sauntered out of the room, leaving Daisy and her aunt staring at each other. They both jumped at the sound of the front door being slammed with some force.