She awakened to find daylight streaming in through the porthole and she sat bolt upright, gazing round in disbelief. Gradually the events of the last evening came back to her and she leaped off the bunk, but the movement of the deck below her feet caused her to lose her balance and she fell to her knees. Bruised and humiliated, even though there was no one to see her, Daisy scrambled to her feet and edged her way over to peer out of the salt-encrusted glass. She blinked, dazzled by the whiteness of the snowy river-bank and the cold light reflecting off the steel-grey water. They were obviously a long way from the centre of London, and there was no sign of habitation.

She turned with a start as someone knocked on the door. ‘Yes. Who’s there?’

The door opened and Guppy entered; this time he held out a mug of tea. ‘I thought you’d be awake, miss.’

She staggered over to the bunk and sat down, a little too heavily for elegance, but at least she had not embarrassed herself by another fall. ‘Thank you, Guppy.’

‘There’s breakfast in the saloon, if you feel up to eating. Some people find the motion of the ship upsets their stomachs.’

‘I’m fine, thank you. But where are we?’

‘Too far from London to get you where you want to be, miss. But at least the snow has eased off, although by the looks of things it’s pretty thick on shore.’ He backed out of the cabin, leaving Daisy to drink her tea.

Jay was in the saloon when Daisy walked in and he rose from his seat, but she could see that he was exhausted. Dark shadows underlined his eyes and he was unshaven, giving him the appearance of a world-weary buccaneer. He only needed a gold earring in one ear and a cutlass at his belt to complete the look. Daisy was tempted to comment, but she thought better of it. Jay might not think it funny, or perhaps it was too close to the truth. She should be angry with him for not putting her ashore, but he smiled and she felt herself weakening.

‘It’s good to see you again, Daisy. I’m sorry I couldn’t put you ashore as you asked, but the weather conditions made it virtually impossible.’

‘Or perhaps you’re on the run again.’

‘You know me too well.’ He resumed his seat. ‘Sit down and have some breakfast. Unless, of course, you’re feeling queasy.’

‘I seem to be a good sailor although this isn’t the way in which I would have chosen to find out. Where are we, Jay? I need to get back to London or I’ll lose my job at the hospital.’

‘By my reckoning the roads are going to be impassable. I’m sorry, Daisy. I didn’t kidnap you deliberately. That’s not my style, although I must say it’s good to see you again.’

There was no doubting the sincerity of his last remark and Daisy felt the last of her anger melting away. Jay always seemed to have that effect on her and it was disturbing. ‘I might say the same in different circumstances, but what am I supposed to do now?’