‘I don’t think I can do all those things.’ Mary sent a pleading glance in Daisy’s direction. ‘I’m still the same person.’

Daisy slipped her arm around Mary’s shoulders. ‘I’ve seen how you’ve coped with dire circumstances that would terrify an ordinary woman. You’ll have your family to help you and we’ll find Jay and bring him home.’

A groan from the bed brought Daisy back to reality and she shooed everyone from the room, including the vicar, who protested that he ought to sit with the dying man.

‘Get the sanctimonious old goat out of here,’ Esmond said feebly. ‘You’ll stay, Daisy.’

She closed the door and went to stand at his bedside. ‘You’ve done the right thing, Squire.’

His eyelids fluttered and closed. ‘Hold my hand.’

The squire’s funeral took place within days and the entire village turned out to see their landlord interred in the graveyard, although there seemed to be very few genuine mourners, if any. Mary arrived at the church surrounded by her family. She had refused to stay at the manor house, preferring to remain at Creek Hall until the will had gone through probate. Daisy could understand her reluctance to accept the change in her fortune, but she knew that Mary would never be happy living in the place that held mixed memories, unless Jay returned to take up his rightful position. The squire’s death seemed to have signalled the end of the cholera epidemic and no new cases had occurred.

Despite the recent losses and hard times, life in the village slowly returned to normal. Eleanora and Sidney now owned the leasehold on their cottage and Daisy was happy to see them both settled and free to enjoy living in the country. She moved back to Creek Cottage and Jack went to live at Creek Hall with his mother and sister. Hilda had been fitted with her wooden leg, as she called the contraption made for her by Fred Shipway. She had managed at first using a crutch and then a stick, and now she could walk, albeit with a slight limp, and get about unaided. She proved to be an able cook and Mrs Bee said she was invaluable now that they were feeding in-patients, although there were fewer rooms occupied since the end of the recent outbreak.

Daisy walked to Creek Hall daily, but there was not as much for her to do now and she was wondering whether she would be allowed to finish her training at the London. She brought up the subject one morning after she had assisted Nick in his morning routine.

‘I’m thinking of returning to London, Nick.’

He met her anxious look with a frown. ‘Do you miss London so much?’

She shook her head. ‘Not really. It’s just that there isn’t very much for me to do here. You don’t need me now.’

‘We have three in-patients and I do two surgeries a day. Of course you’re needed.’

‘But I’m not fully trained, Nick. I ought to get my qualifications.’