She avoided his intense gaze and stared down into the green water where fronds of weed waved as if in a breeze. ‘That’s ridiculous. It was my idea to trick the squire into believing that I was an heiress, and now I look back on it I realise how foolish I was.’

‘No, I won’t have that, Daisy. You went out of your way to help a friend. We are still friends, aren’t we?’

The anxious note in his voice made her look up. ‘Of course we are. Why would you think differently?’

‘The others are coming. Let’s walk on before they catch up with us.’

‘What’s the matter, Nick?’ She had to quicken her pace in order to keep up with him. ‘There’s something on your mind, I can tell.’

‘Yes, there is. I don’t think Toby broke any confidences when he told me that the squire had proposed to you.’

‘I dealt with that. He won’t bother me again.’

He shook his head. ‘I’m not so sure. Tattersall is a man who hates to be crossed. He won’t give up easily.’

‘I suppose I should be flattered by his advances, but there’s nothing on earth that would persuade me to marry him.’

‘I’m glad, but …’ he paused. ‘But what about Jay?’

‘Jay comes and goes as he pleases, but if I choose to be his friend I think that’s my business.’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you, it’s just that I care about you, Daisy, and I’m stuck in Harley Street until I’ve saved enough to pay off Tattersall, but Jay isn’t for you. Please believe me. I grew up with him and I know him all too well.’

‘What do you mean by that?’

‘He’s wild and he thinks only of himself. He doesn’t seem to care that he’s upset his entire family.’

‘You don’t know then,’ Daisy said slowly. ‘Didn’t you ever suspect that there was something strange about the way Jay’s father treated him?’

‘I thought it odd, but then people are strange. Perhaps Lemuel was jealous of the affection his wife showed the child.’

‘Or maybe it’s because he isn’t Jay’s natural father.’ Daisy had the satisfaction of seeing Nick’s expression change from one of disbelief to consternation. ‘Mrs Fox was a servant in the squire’s house when she was very young,’ she added pointedly. ‘Do I have to spell it out for you?’

‘Are you saying that Squire Tattersall is Jay’s father?’

‘Yes, I am, and it came from the squire himself.’

‘How do you know this?’

‘Jay was at Creek Hall when I arrived with Hilda’s children. He’d heard that his parents were about to lose their home, and he was furious. I was afraid he would do something rash so I went to see Mrs Fox, but she wouldn’t tell me anything.’

‘You should leave that family to sort out their own problems.’

‘Is that all you can say? Lemuel Fox worked for your father for years and now he’s fallen on hard times, made even harder by the squire’s vindictive treatment.’