‘Did you forget something?’

He shook his head. ‘No. I’ve come to take you out. It’s high time you had a day off.’

‘I can’t leave Ma to do all the work.’

‘Yes, you can. I’ve arranged for an old friend of yours to come and help out.’

‘You’ve done what?’ Judy gave him a searching look. ‘Is this some kind of a joke?’

‘Not at all. Your mother and Nate both agree with me that you’ve been working too hard. Mrs Pearce is on her way here as we speak, and she’s going to help in the kitchen. Pip is coming over from Colneyhurst to work in the stable, and Nate is going to man the bar with Molly’s help.’

‘My sister is coming here to work in the bar?’ Judy stared at him in disbelief. ‘Molly is too much of a lady to stoop to such a thing.’

‘She overheard me talking to Pip and she offered to come and help. I think maybe she’s tired of being with small children all the time.’

‘You arranged all this?’

‘With your mother’s help. I didn’t do it all on my own.’

‘But where are we going? This is silly, Rob. You didn’t need to go to all this trouble.’

‘Don’t argue. I’ll give you fifteen minutes to get ready. Pip should be here with Mrs Pearce and your sister, and he’ll drive us to the station.’ He took the basket from her and shooed her into the kitchen where Hilda was preparing vegetables.

‘Were you in on this, Ma?’ Judy demanded.

‘Yes, I was. Rob thought of it and he’s right. You’ve been looking peaky for days, and you’ve been working from early morning until late at night. I know you’ve been poring over the accounts long after I go to bed, so it’s time you had a break.’ Hilda waved the paring knife at her daughter. ‘Go upstairs and change into your Sunday best. I don’t know what Rob has planned, but I’m sure it will be something entertaining.’

‘Wear that bonnet with the blue ribbons that suits you so well,’ Rob said, smiling.

‘I can’t,’ Judy admitted reluctantly. ‘It got ruined when I was caught out in the rain.’

‘Then I’ll buy you another one even better, but the same colour.’ Rob threw back his head and laughed. ‘Don’t look at me like that, Judy Begg. This is my way of saying thank you for everything you’ve done for me.’

‘Less of the chitchat,’ Hilda said impatiently. ‘You’ll miss the train if you don’t hurry.’

They travelled in the luxury of a first-class compartment, and when they alighted at Bishopsgate Station they took a hansom cab to Regent Street, where they lunched in style at the Café Royal. Rob entertained Judy with amusing anecdotes about his notorious family, and tales of the exploits that had landed them in so much trouble. The wrongdoers themselves had richly deserved the punishments they received, but Rob had a way of telling a story that made their nefarious activities sound hilarious. Judy laughed until the tears ran down her cheeks, and she patted them dry on a hanky that her mother had pressed on her before she left the inn.