Judy leaned on his arm as they entered the kitchen, which was larger. Upstairs there were two reasonable size bedrooms and one not much larger than a boxroom.

‘What do you think?’ Rob asked when they returned to the kitchen.

‘Why are you going to all this trouble for a house that you will probably never set foot in?’

‘I know the value of home. Why shouldn’t a gatekeeper have as much comfort as the lord of the manor? I’ll expect the man and his wife to be on duty whenever they’re needed, so the least I can do is to provide good accommodation for them.’

Judy had a sudden vision of Adeline Dorning’s cosy parlour and she nodded. ‘You’re right.’

‘So you’ll do it?’

‘Of course I will. What woman could resist the opportunity to spend someone else’s money? But seriously, Rob, I’ll make it really nice, but I won’t bankrupt you.’

‘I trust you implicitly. Just think about it as if you were furnishing your own home.’

She smiled. ‘I don’t know whether that will ever happen, but I will, of course.’

‘You’re looking a bit pale. I’m afraid I’ve kept you out too long. Have you seen enough?’

Judy nodded. ‘Yes, I think so, and I can always ride over if I need to take any measurements. I suppose you want me to include curtains and carpets as well.’

‘You see why I need your expert touch. I had completely forgotten things like that. I’ll take you home, but I’ve just remembered I need to see the site manager, McArthur, before I go. Do you mind a quick detour?’

‘Of course not. I’ll sit in the chaise while you speak to him.’

McArthur was not at the building site, but one of the workmen said he had seen the manager walking back to the stables. They drove past him, but McArthur was deep in conversation with some of the workmen and Rob agreed to wait for him outside the tack room.

Judy had said little during the short drive. As he drew the horse to a halt Rob turned to her with a quizzical smile. ‘A penny for them?’

‘I was thinking that I know so little about you. What did you do before your relative left you a fortune? How did you make your living?’

‘Didn’t my aunt tell you? She usually regales anyone who will listen with stories about my heroic past, all from her vivid imagination, of course.’

‘So what did you do? You must be a bit older than Jay, although you look younger.’

‘Thank you. I thought you might see me as an old man.’

‘Of course not. How old are you?’

‘A straight question – I’m thirty-five, nearly thirty-six. A great deal older than you.’

‘I’m twenty, nearly twenty-one. Age doesn’t count if you get on well with someone, but you still haven’t answered my question, Rob. How did you earn a living?’

‘It may surprise you to learn that I studied medicine, and when I qualified I joined the army medical service. I spent six years in India and I left the service two years ago when I received my inheritance. Since then I’ve been trying to decide what to do with the rest of my life.’