Eleanora went to the sideboard and filled a bowl with porridge. ‘I have so little appetite these days,’ she said as she took her seat and reached for the sugar bowl. ‘Pass the cream, please, Daisy.’

Daisy did as she asked and sat back, nibbling a slice of buttered toast as she watched her aunt spoon porridge laced with cream and sugar into her mouth.

‘Thank goodness Hattie came with us,’ Eleanora said, scraping the last morsels from the bowl. She licked the spoon with obvious enjoyment. ‘She is such a good cook.’

‘It was kind of you to take Linnet on. She’s a bright girl and eager to learn.’ Daisy eyed her aunt warily. So far so good. ‘Do you intend to make her position permanent?’

‘We have certain standards to keep up, and I can hardly expect Hattie to do all the work. She’d pack up and return to London in a blink of an eye.’

Encouraged, Daisy leaned forward, giving her aunt a persuasive smile. ‘Then perhaps Linnet ought to be given a room of her own. There’s a small one in the attic, next to Hattie’s.’

Eleanora reached for a small brass bell and rang it. ‘If you say so, dear. I haven’t been up there myself, but it does make sense to have the girl living in, and it will take some of the burden from Hattie.’

‘That’s a yes, then?’

‘I said so, didn’t I?’ Eleanora was about to ring the bell again when Linnet burst into the room.

‘You rang, missis?’

‘You are supposed to knock,’ Eleanora said firmly. ‘And you address me as Mrs Marshall or ma’am.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’ Linnet placed a plate of crisp bacon and two fried eggs in front of Eleanora. ‘Is there anything else, ma’am?’

‘Yes, Linnet. My niece tells me that you will be happy to live in. There’s a room next to Hattie’s that you may use. Daisy will help you to make it comfortable.’

Linnet’s cheeks flushed and her eyes shone with delight. ‘Ta, ever so, missis. I mean, thank you, ma’am.’

‘That’s all. You may go.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’ Linnet gave Daisy a radiant smile as she hurried past her and almost ran from the room.

‘She’ll have to learn a few manners, but she’ll do. One can’t expect town polish in a backwater like Little Creek.’ Eleanora picked up her knife and fork and began to attack the bacon with a determined look on her face.

‘I was wondering …’ Daisy began tentatively.

‘What, dear? Don’t start a sentence and let it hang in the air.’

‘Well, I know how kind-hearted you are, and Linnet’s younger brother had an accident yesterday. Dr Neville and I happened to be passing and we took him home. Jack had broken his arm and he was very brave when Dr Neville was treating him.’ Warming to her subject Daisy leaned across the table. ‘The family are so poor, Aunt. You can’t imagine how they live. Their cottage is damp and in a dreadful state of disrepair. Mr and Mrs Fox are both ill with chest complaints and they have barely enough to feed them, let alone a sick child.’