‘I’ll have an estate manager. In fact I’ll employ Clem Guppy, who I believe filled the position very efficiently before he was ousted. I’ll let the tenant farmers do all the physical labour, and I’m quite capable of organising myself and the household, but more importantly, I want a permanent home. My father was jailed when I was a child, along with my uncles, and my mother died penniless. I was brought up by my Aunt Adeline, who’s a wonderful woman, but times were hard. Now I’m in a position to improve her lot as well as mine.’

‘But why did you pick Creek Manor? If you’re wealthy you could have bought a grand mansion that was ready to move into.’

‘That wouldn’t do for me. The coast and the salt marshes are my part of the country, and I want to build something that fits in with the landscape but is very modern inside. I want to install indoor plumbing and bathrooms where you can turn on a tap and have unlimited hot water.’

It was Judy’s turn to laugh. ‘I’ve never heard of anything so odd. It would be wonderful, but surely it’s just a dream.’

‘It’s possible, and I intend to make it a fact. Maybe we’ll be the first people in Essex to have such a thing.’

‘You’re married?’

‘I didn’t say that.’

Judy felt herself blushing and she turned her head away. ‘You said “we” – I just assumed …’

‘No, I’m not married and I have no plans to alter my bachelor state, at the moment.’

‘Not that it’s any of my business,’ she said hastily.

He laughed and flicked the reins to encourage the horse to quicken its pace. Judy’s attention was caught by a group of women, huddled together with their shawls wrapped around them in an attempt to keep warm. They looked up at the sound of the approaching vehicle and Judy recognised Miss Creedy, Annie Maggs and Nancy Noon. Judy smiled and waved and they acknowledged her, but she could tell by the way they turned their backs and put their heads together that she and Rob Dorning were now the subject of speculation. She shot him a sideway glance and he turned to her with a smile.

‘They’ll have us engaged before the day is out. I was born and raised in a village near Burnham-on-Crouch. I know exactly what the gossips are like.’

Judy relaxed against the squabs. ‘I can’t quite make you out, Rob Dorning. You are a mystery to me.’ She groaned. ‘Oh dear, and there’s Mrs Peabody, the vicar’s wife, talking to Daisy’s aunt, Mrs Marshall, and they’ve seen us.’

‘Don’t worry, Judy. Let them talk.’

‘It’s all right for you, Rob. You don’t live in Little Creek.’

‘Not yet, although I’ve spent the last few days at the Crooked Billet while I sort out the details of the new house, and I expect to be here much more often while the building is taking place.’