Daisy’s hand flew to her cold lips. She could feel his kiss imprinted on them and she tried to call him back, but she could not form the words, and then the door opened.

‘Miss Marshall. Well, I never did!’ Linnet stared at her in astonishment. ‘You’ve come home at last. We thought something terrible must have happened to you.’

Daisy glanced over her shoulder and her spirits plummeted at the sight of Jay pushing the jollyboat into the water. He leaped in and picked up the oars, shouting an order to Ramsden as he steered the boat into the deeper water mid-channel.

‘Come in out of the cold, miss. You must be frozen.’

There was little Daisy could do, although for a fleeting moment she was tempted to run to the water’s edge and call out, begging Jay to return and take her with him. But that would be foolish and dangerous, and he had obviously decided that she was better off without him, or perhaps he had simply been amusing himself and was glad to be rid of her. The unhappy notion convinced her to step inside and close the door on what might have been.

‘Where is my aunt? I must see her and explain.’

Linnet’s smile was wiped away by a worried frown. ‘I’m sorry, miss, but the master and mistress travelled up to London the moment they heard you was missing.’

‘Oh, my goodness! How awful. They must have been so worried.’

‘I believe the police was called, too. Constable Fowler came to the door making enquiries and he said the coppers in London was looking for you. There’s been a hue and cry, miss.’

‘I knew they would worry, but I didn’t realise it had gone so far. I thought everything would have come to a halt because of the weather.’

‘Where’ve you been, miss? I don’t mean to pry, but you disappeared off the face of the earth.’

‘It’s a long story, Linnet. It all happened so quickly and I couldn’t get home. Anyway, that’s not important. How can I contact my aunt and uncle? Do you know where they intended to stay?’

‘No, but they said they was going to see Dr Marshall.’

‘Poor Toby, he must have been frantic, but there really was nothing I could do.’

Linnet eyed her curiously. ‘Dr Neville came to the house – quite upset he was when I told him you wasn’t here and no one knew where to find you. He seemed very put out. Anyway, if you’d like to go upstairs and change out of those damp clothes I’ll make you a pot of tea. Have you had breakfast?’

‘No, not yet. Is there a fire in the parlour? I’d like to get warm before I go to my room.’

Linnet moved to bar the door. ‘No, miss. I’ll light one straight away.’

‘But someone must be in there. I saw the candle in the window.’

‘No, miss. I was cleaning the grate.’