Prudence greeted her with a smile that faded into a worried frown. ‘Are you all right, dear? You look peaky.’

‘I’m cold and my feet are wet, Mrs Trundle. Might I sit by the fire for a while?’

‘Of course, you may. I’ll make you a nice hot cup of cocoa. That always works when my Seth is feeling low.’

Judy took off the cloak and hung it back on its peg before going over to warm herself by the fire. Prudence made two cups of cocoa and the delicious aroma of hot chocolate filled the kitchen. Judy sat down to enjoy it, resting her feet on the brass rail of the range.

‘Thank you, Mrs Trundle. You’ve been so good to us. I wish there was something I could do to repay you.’

Prudence sipped her drink. ‘Having female company is reward enough, dear. I love my menfolk, but sometimes I wish I had a daughter to talk to. There are things that husbands and sons just don’t understand.’

Judy nodded. ‘Sometimes I think we speak a different language than they do.’

‘Yes, indeed. Have a rock cake, dear. They’re still warm from the oven.’ Prudence took a cake from the cooling rack, placed it on a plate and handed it to Judy. ‘These will be gone in a flash when Joe and Seth come home, so eat up while you have a chance.’ She pulled up a chair and sat down. ‘Perhaps you feel like telling me what’s upset you since you left the house this morning. You were bright as a button first thing, but when you came in that door I thought, my goodness, something or someone has upset the poor girl.’

‘It’s a long story,’ Judy said apologetically.

‘That don’t matter, dear. I’ve got all morning. It’ll take the men that long to shift the wrecked vehicle.’ Prudence sat back, sipping her cocoa and listening in silence while Judy talked.

‘Well, dear, that’s some story indeed,’ Prudence said when Judy had finished speaking.

‘I don’t know what to do, Mrs Trundle. I think I still love Jack, but I didn’t believe him when he said he had written to me. Jack was always very bad at letter writing. The truth is that he left me without a word, and I don’t feel I can ever trust him again.’

‘It seems to run in the family, from what you just told me. I mean his brother didn’t treat his women well, although I think you said that they’re only half-brothers.’

‘That’s right. Jay’s father was the late squire, and not a nice character at all. Jack’s father was a good man at heart, I suppose, but he was also a bully.’

‘And how do you feel about Rob?’

Judy almost dropped her plate. Prudence’s question had taken her by surprise. ‘Rob is a guest at the inn. There’s nothing between us.’

‘Are you sure about that, dear? He seems quite taken with you.’

‘No, you’re wrong. We’re just friends.’