‘Dr Godfrey sent a telegram to the inn. I’ve been staying there while you were away. It’s very convenient for my purposes, and I think your mother was relieved to have someone there in case Faulkner turned up again.’

‘He hasn’t, has he?’ Judy handed her ticket to the collector as they walked through the barrier.

‘No. He hasn’t shown his face, but I have people keeping an eye on him.’

‘You employ spies?’

‘I have a lot of people working for me, and Faulkner is so well known in the area that it’s not difficult to keep tracks on him.’ Rob handed her into the chaise and took the reins from a small boy, tossing him a coin as he climbed onto the driver’s seat. ‘Walk on.’

Judy shot a wary glance at him as he handled the horse with considerable expertise. It was obviously a thoroughbred amongst carriage horses, and the chaise itself was brand spanking new. She knew very little about Rob’s past, but she sensed that he was a very private person and she did not like to pry.

It was a crisp winter’s day and a pale buttercup-yellow sun shone on the frosty hedgerows and sparkled on the grassy banks. The creek bubbled merrily over the shallows and slinked silkily where it was deepest and greenest in the shade of the trees on the water’s edge. Bright red berries glowed amongst the dark green spiky leaves of holly, and the clock in the church tower struck one, its sonorous sound echoing off the surrounding cottages and the village pub. Judy smiled to herself; it was good to be home. She had not realised how much she loved this part of the world until she went away. She could not help wondering if Jack felt similar pangs of homesickness, or perhaps he had forgotten his old life and was getting on well in the Antipodes. She could only hope that he was happy, and that, by now, he could walk again.

‘You look sad.’

Rob’s comment jerked her out of her reverie. ‘I was just thinking how things have changed,’ she said, forcing a smile. ‘Not so very long ago we were like one big family at Creek Manor, but that is all gone now.’

‘Creek Manor will rise again, like the phoenix from the ashes.’

‘Is that what you intend? You want to rebuild the old house and call it Creek Manor?’

‘It’s still the same plot of land, and I imagine the manorial rights still hold. I am now the lord of the manor, although the title means nothing to me.’

‘Why did you buy the estate? Do you intend to live there, or will you sell it to someone else for a huge profit?’

He took his eyes off the road ahead and turned his head to give her an amused look. ‘You have a very poor opinion of me, don’t you?’

‘I am struggling to form an opinion, if you must know. I can’t make you out, Rob Dorning. Why would a young man like you want to saddle yourself with running an estate like Creek Manor?’