Judy bowed her head. Of course she knew all this to be true, and she should have been prepared for Mary’s blunt statement of the facts, but facing the truth had hit her like a physical blow. ‘I understand, ma’am.’

‘I knew you would. Don’t think this makes any difference to your position here, Judy. I value you more than you can imagine.’

Judy rose to her feet. ‘I have work to do, if you’ll excuse me, Mrs Tattersall.’

‘Of course. What am I thinking of?’ Mary sighed happily. ‘I’ll just rest my eyes for a few minutes before I go upstairs and change for dinner. We have to keep up the traditions of Creek Manor, after all, and with luck Jack will arrive soon.’

Judy left the room quietly. She had known all along that her position was tenuous, and her relationship with Jack was doomed from the start, but hearing it put into words had been the final blow. She stood for a moment, and took a deep breath before making her way to the study. One thing was certain: no one would ever know how deeply she had been hurt, although it was her own fault. She had allowed herself to dream, and that was fatal for a girl born in the East End slums.

She found her mother in the study, as expected, poring over an open ledger.

‘Are you still at it, Ma?’ Judy forced herself to sound normal, although her heart was still thudding away against her ribs and her knees felt weak.

‘Nearly finished, dear. Has Daisy gone home?’

‘Yes, and I’m not sorry. I love Daisy, but those boys of hers are tiny terrors. They’ve practically wrecked the drawing room and poor Mrs Tattersall is worn out.’ Judy managed somehow to sound normal, knowing that her mother would spot the slightest tremor in her voice or a fleeting look of sadness.

‘They’re full of life, and Daisy adores them. I always knew she would be a good mother.’

‘Yes, but she has Nanny Cummings and Molly to look after the children. I had to take care of Molly, Pip and Nate when we were little because you and Pa had to go to work. I was left in charge when I was just a child, and it was hard.’

Hilda closed the ledger and turned to give her daughter a sympathetic smile. ‘I know, dear. But things are different now. One day you’ll have children of your own and you will give them a better life than we gave you.’

‘I didn’t mean that,’ Daisy said hastily. ‘It’s just that Mrs Tattersall is convinced that I’m going to take over from Mrs Ralston when she retires. I’m young, Ma. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life waiting on other people.’

‘You’re an extremely pretty girl, love. With your looks and charm you won’t end up on the shelf.’ Hilda put her head on one side, smiling. ‘Danny and Alfie are always making excuses to see you, and that new young curate went out of his way to speak to you last Sunday. If he decides to stay in Little Creek I’ve no doubt he’ll take over from Mr Peabody one day, and you could be the vicar’s wife.’