‘You always did act the innocent. I thought that my son was safe from your wiles, but it seems that you won’t leave him alone.’

A cold shiver ran down Daisy’s spine. Someone had been telling lies about her, and if it was not Julian, there was only one other person it could be. ‘I can’t imagine what Jonah Sawkins told you, or how you came to be in contact with that man, but you’ve obviously been fed a pack of lies.’

‘Mr Sawkins brought me the ring that you’d tried to sell him.’

‘I did no such thing,’ Daisy protested. ‘I gave him the ring to pass on to Julian. It was obviously a mistake to trust Jonah, but I wanted nothing more to do with your son and I told him so.’

‘That’s not the way Mr Sawkins put it, Miss Marshall. He said you’d sent him to Queen Square to beg Julian to see you, and when he refused you instructed Mr Sawkins to sell the ring.’

‘That’s not how it was, but I can see that whatever I say you’ll choose to believe someone like Jonah. Did you think to ask Julian?’

‘My son has returned to Paris, thank goodness. He’s far away from your scheming, which is why I came here today. Take the money and leave my son alone.’

The temptation to throw the money at Mrs Carrington was almost overwhelming, but Daisy knew that it would do nothing to change her former employer’s opinion of her. For reasons best known to himself, Jonah had put the final seal on her involvement with the Carrington family, but she was not going to allow him to win. Instead, she bent down and picked up the purse.

‘I will take this, because the ring was mine to sell, had I so wished. Jonah Sawkins was supposed to return it to your son, but I have a purpose for this money and I know where it will do the most good.’ Daisy held her head high as she walked to the edge of the kerb where a growler had just dropped off a fare.

‘I have a crippled lady I need to take to Bishopsgate Station, Cabby. Would you wait for a few minutes please?’

He tipped his hat and grunted assent, and Daisy retraced her steps, walking past Agnes Carrington without a backward glance. She wanted nothing more to do with that family. Julian had proved himself to be weak and feckless – she was well rid of him. There were more important matters to hand and one of them was Hilda.

With Daisy’s help and a pair of wooden crutches, Hilda managed to cope with the journey to Little Creek, although it was clear to Daisy that she was in a great deal of pain. Earlier that morning Daisy had sent a telegram to Creek Hall, giving the time of their arrival, and Billy was waiting for them at the station with the horse and trap. Hilda was pale with fatigue and lines of suffering were etched on her face, but she did not complain even when Daisy and Billy had a struggle to get her onto the trap. Not a word passed her lips when the vehicle bounced over the ruts in the country lanes, but her knuckles whitened as she clutched the wooden side rails and she closed her eyes.