‘Thank you. I can’t allow my family to spend Christmas worrying about me.’ Daisy thought quickly. There was someone else she needed to contact urgently. ‘Would it be possible to get as far as Creek Hall?’

‘I can’t say, but we could try if you need to see the doctor.’

‘I want to let Dr Neville know that I’m all right.’

‘And tomorrow is Christmas Eve,’ Linnet said enthusiastically. ‘We’ll be able to celebrate with happy hearts because you’ve come back to us, Miss Marshall.’

A vision of the huge Christmas tree in the entrance hall at the manor house flashed before Daisy’s eyes, and she tried to imagine the children’s faces when they unwrapped their presents, but the scene faded as quickly as it had come. ‘I’ll spend it quietly here, but you are free to do as you please, Linnet. You may spend Christmas with Mr Massey if you so wish.’

Linnet blushed rosily. ‘I don’t know what to say, miss. Thank you.’

The ride to the village in Elliot’s trap was even more hazardous than the trip in the jollyboat. His horse kept slipping on the treacherous road surface and the wheels sunk into the softer snow on the side of the road. Elliot had to leap down and dig them out several times, but eventually they reached the post office and Daisy sent a telegram to Toby at his lodgings. She would have sent another to Mrs Wood to let her know that she was safe and well, but she was short of money, and reluctantly she said goodbye to the curious postmaster and climbed back into the trap.

‘I think it’s too dangerous to risk the road to Creek Hall,’ she said reluctantly. ‘I might try to walk there later when I’ve had something to eat and a change of clothes.’

‘Looks like you won’t have to, Miss Marshall.’ Elliot pointed his whip in the direction of an approaching vehicle.

Daisy recognised Hero and she smiled with relief when she recognised the person on the driver’s seat.

‘Nick.’ She stood up in the footwell and waved.

He reined the horse in and came to a halt beside them. ‘Daisy. Where the hell have you been?’ He acknowledged Elliot with a brief salute. ‘Good morning, Schoolmaster.’

‘Good morning, Doctor.’

Daisy looked from one to the other, detecting a slight hint of antagonism between the two men. Then she remembered what Mary had said about Dove having grown close to the doctor, when at one time it had seemed that she was sweet on Elliot. Why, Daisy wondered, was life so complicated when it came to affairs of the heart?

‘You have some explaining to do, Daisy.’ Nick glared at her, but she sensed that his anger was born of anxiety.

‘If you have time to visit Creek Cottage I’ll explain everything,’ she said, eyeing Elliot warily. He was not above passing on juicy bits of gossip. Some people had called the schoolmaster ‘an old woman’, but perhaps that was unfair.