Sidney shook his head. ‘Maybe it’s because he doesn’t want to pay for repairs to their cottages. Perhaps he’d rather raze them to the ground, but whatever his motives he’s not the sort of husband I’d wish for you, my dear.’

‘I’ll be safe from him in London, although I’ve grown to love it here, even in such a short time.’

‘You must do what’s best for you, Daisy. We’ll miss you, but I wouldn’t trust myself if the squire came calling on you – I’d throttle the swine.’

The idea of her meek and mild uncle doing anything violent made Daisy want to laugh and cry at the same time. She patted him on the shoulder. ‘I wouldn’t want you to do that, Uncle.’

He was about to reply when a call from Lemuel made him turn round to see the former gamekeeper landing a large fish.

‘They’re biting again, Mr Marshall. Best cast your line, sir.’

Daisy backed away. ‘I’ll leave you to it, Uncle, but I’ll say goodbye now, because I might not see you again before I leave.’

‘You’re going so soon, Daisy?’

‘I think it’s for the best. You mustn’t suffer on my behalf, and I hate that man. I’d rather enter a nunnery than marry someone like him.’ Daisy leaned over to kiss Sidney on the cheek. ‘Take care of yourself and Aunt Eleanora. I love you, Uncle.’

She hurried off, not wanting him to see the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes, but instead of heading back to the cottage she found herself walking in the direction of the cove where she had last seen Jay’s vessel. She was not sure what she hoped to find, but she had a sudden urge to see if the Lazy Jane really had sailed, or if the ship was still at anchor, and as the cove widened out she broke into a run. But there was no sign of Jay’s craft or any other vessel and she came to a sudden halt. Perhaps it was as well that he had sailed away; there could be no hope of a settled future for her with someone like Jay Fox. He was a free spirit, and she doubted if any woman would be able to tie him down. She knew that she was allowing mere physical attraction to overcome common sense, or perhaps she had simply been in the mood to be charmed by a dashing young man, who refused to conform to the rules of society. She might never know the answer to that particular conundrum. She turned away slowly and began the long walk home.

Later that day, after a relatively comfortable journey by rail and a cab from the station, Daisy arrived outside her brother’s lodgings in Mount Street, not far from the London Hospital. She knocked on the door of the three-storey terraced house, but when there was no response she decided to walk to the hospital. It had started to rain and she wished she had thought to bring an umbrella, but she put her head down and broke into a run, arriving in the vestibule soaked to the skin and breathless.