‘Accepted, Miss Marshall. I’ll pay the lady a visit first thing in the morning, but I can’t promise to be quick with the work. Folk are dropping like flies from the sickness and I can barely keep up with orders as it is.’

‘There’s no hurry.’ Daisy dropped the coin into his outstretched hand. ‘Her wound needs to heal, but the hope of being able to move reasonably freely in the future will surely help her to recover more quickly.’

‘You’d need to ask the doctor about that, miss. He called in less than half an hour ago to tell me that there was another coffin needed.’

‘Do you know where he went?’

‘He said something about visiting Lemuel Fox, but I told him not to bother. That family is cursed.’

‘Why do you say that?’ Daisy demanded angrily.

‘She brought the wrath of the squire down on the village. If he gets his way Little Creek will be a ghost village.’

Daisy had no answer for this. It seemed that Mary was still suffering from the squire’s abuse, and the misfortunes that had befallen her family were considered in some way to be a punishment for her wickedness, when in fact she was the innocent victim.

‘I have to go now, Mr Shipway.’ Daisy managed to keep an outward display of calm, but as she left the workshop she was inwardly fuming. Squire Tattersall had caused so much misery in his lifetime, and it was possible that the outbreak of cholera could also be laid at the door of the neglectful landlord. Spurred on by anger she set off to find Nick.

She arrived at the Fox family’s cottage just as Nick was about to leave. He looked tired and drawn and he blinked dazedly as he stepped out into the sunlight.

‘Daisy. What are you doing here?’

‘I brought Hilda to be with her children. I hope you don’t mind, because she had nowhere else to go.’

He shook his head. ‘No, of course not. There’s plenty of room at Creek Hall, but you should have stayed in London. Didn’t you know there is an outbreak of cholera in this area?’

‘Yes, I knew, and that’s another reason for coming. I wanted to make sure that my aunt and uncle were all right, and I thought you might need some help. I know I’m not fully qualified but I’ve learned a lot in the last few months, at least enough to be of some assistance, if only in making beds and general hygiene.’

‘I know I’m tired – I’ve been up all night – but are you telling me that you’ve given up your place at the hospital?’

‘Not exactly. Well, it depends on you, Nick. Have you anyone else to help you?’

‘No. It’s true I’m single-handedly trying to stem a possible epidemic, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up everything you’ve worked towards.’

‘We’ll argue about this later, but you look as though you need to go home and have a rest.’