After greeting the guests Daisy and Jay led them into the dining hall, where more tables and chairs had been brought in to seat everyone, and a feast had been laid out in readiness. Wine, ale and cider flowed and, although subdued at first, the guests began to relax and enjoy themselves. Their voices rose in a crescendo, adding to the clatter of knives and forks on china plates and the clink of glasses.

When at last everyone was satiated with food and drink, there was the traditional cutting of the wedding cake, and then Sidney rose to his feet and raised a toast. Jay made a brief speech in response and announced that there would be dancing in the great hall to the tuneful accompaniment of Mr Keyes, the village shopkeeper, on the concertina and Constable Fowler on the pianoforte. The instrument had been found tucked away beneath a tarpaulin in the coach house, and Mary vaguely remembered the first Mrs Tattersall having the piano in the morning parlour where she spent many an hour playing soulful music. A piano tuner had been summoned from Maldon and now it was as good as new, or almost. Daisy was no expert, but when she had been governess to the Carringtons’ youngest child, she had sat beside Master Timothy in the drawing room of the London mansion while he did his five-finger exercises. The Steinway, which had been imported from Germany at enormous expense, had made the most wonderful sound, even though the young musician was there under sufferance, bribed by the promise of a poke of humbugs if he completed a half-hour practice. The manor house pianoforte could not compete with such a superb instrument, but if the notes were tinny no one seemed to notice, and George Keyes played his concertina with more enthusiasm than expertise.

Jay and Daisy took the floor and led the dancers in a waltz, followed by a lively polka and then a gavotte. Breathless and smiling, they stopped to take a rest while the guests formed a circle for the country dance, Gathering Peascods.

‘This really is a day to remember, Jay,’ Daisy said softly. ‘You were right, it’s good to share our happiness with everyone.’

He smiled and leaned over to kiss her on the lips. ‘Here’s to a lifetime together, Daisy mine. I’ll never leave you.’

It was her turn to smile. ‘Not even to refurbish the Lazy Jane – I know she’s the second love of your life.’

‘No, sweetheart. My days at sea are over. I’ll pay another master to take care of the old girl, but this time they’ll trade in legitimate goods. No more smuggling for me.’

‘I’m glad. It might have ended so badly.’ Daisy looked up at the sound of someone calling Jay’s name as a young man pushed his way through the dancers.

‘Captain, I need to have a word.’

Jay rose to his feet. ‘What is it, Lewis? I didn’t see you at the wedding breakfast.’