As the weeks went by Daisy was too busy to think about returning to her position at the London Hospital, and in any case she doubted whether she had a place now. The occasional letter from Minnie brightened up the dull days when nothing seemed to go right, or the cholera claimed yet another victim, but as the weather cooled the cases were fewer, and there was hope that the epidemic might be coming to an end. Daisy continued to visit her aunt and uncle whenever possible, and they remained in good health, as did Hattie and Linnet. Jack was still living with Eleanora and Sidney, and they encouraged Mary to call on them whenever she could snatch an hour or two of free time. She lived in at Creek Hall as her old home was uninhabitable. Heavy rains in August had flooded the cottage, turning the packed earth floor into a sea of mud, which was inevitably contaminated by the overflow from the privies. Most of the families in the terrace had no alternative but to stay in their homes and try to make the best of it, but Nick was appalled. He did his best to seek a solution through official channels, but the properties all belonged to Squire Tattersall, and he refused to do anything, claiming it was an Act of God, and the tenants must sort it out for themselves.

On a chilly late October morning, Daisy had her hair covered by one of Dove’s mobcaps and her plain linsey-woolsey dress was protected by an apron that came up to her chin. It was her turn to empty the chamber pots into the outside privy, and she was rinsing them at the pump when a tall man came striding into the stable yard. She had never met Colonel Harker, but this person fitted the description that Mary had given her.

‘You, girl!’ he shouted, pointing his cane at her. ‘Where is everyone? What sort of establishment is this when no one answers the door?’

Daisy wiped her hands on her pinafore. ‘I apologise for that, sir. We are very busy at this time in the morning.’

‘It doesn’t say much for your organisation, young lady. Where is your superior?’

‘I am Daisy Marshall and I’m in charge while Dr Neville is out on a call. Might I ask your name?’

‘You aren’t from round here or you would know that I am Colonel Harker. My wife and I came to thank Dr Neville for saving our daughters’ lives.’

‘How do you do, sir? Perhaps you would like to come indoors and wait for Dr Neville to return?’

‘I’ll see what my wife says. She isn’t used to being kept waiting, and she most certainly won’t want to walk through the stable yard.’

‘I’ll go through and open the front door, Colonel.’ Daisy abandoned her task and crossed the cobbled yard to enter the house through the back entrance. She had not taken to the colonel, and if his wife was of a similar disposition she did not think she would like her either. Snatching off the mobcap, Daisy patted her hair in place as she ran through the house to open the door. Much as she disliked the way the colonel had spoken to her, she knew that she could not afford to offend a wealthy client, and it was well known in the village that Mrs Harker was the one with the money. She had inherited a fortune from a distant relative who owned a cotton mill in Lancashire, while the colonel came from a relatively poor family and had only his army pay. Daisy shrugged off her apron and dropped it onto a chair as she hurried to open the door before the colonel had a chance to hammer on the knocker.