Judy went to the mirror to pin the smart little hat in place. ‘You’re a fraud,’ she said out loud. ‘And everyone will know it. You are Judy Begg from Green Dragon Yard. You’re a servant, and no one will take you seriously.’

An hour later, seated in Daisy’s elegant drawing room, Judy struggled to put her fears into words. ‘I was a child when you brought us to Creek Manor, and I grew up working in the kitchen. How can I expect the rest of the servants to take orders from me?’

Daisy shook her head, smiling gently. ‘I started out in service, Judy. I was governess to a small boy in a grand London house. You know the story, as does everyone in Little Creek, but when I had to take over the running of the estate I had to put all that behind me. It’s not what you are, but who you are that counts. You must have faith in yourself, and the confidence to put yourself forward. It’s harder for a woman than for a man, but you can do it. You have to decide what you think is best when it comes to running the estate and the household, and then stick to your guns.’

‘What do you suggest? Where would I start?’

Daisy was silent for a moment, a frown marring her smooth forehead. ‘If I remember rightly, the first thing I did was to ride around the estate and make myself known to all the tenant farmers. They are always willing to express their views and they’ll probably hand out advice, whether you want it or not. You still have Clem Guppy to manage the day-to-day affairs, so you just need to assure everyone that there is someone in overall charge.’

‘That sounds like a good idea. What did you do when it came to running the house?’

‘Well, I had a chat with Mrs Ralston and we went over the household accounts. I gave her free rein to manage the house servants as she saw fit, and then I had a long talk with Cook, giving her the same responsibilities for the kitchen staff.’

‘What about Molesworth?’

‘Ask him about the cellar. That’s his favourite place, and he looks after the wines as if they were his children. He also has charge of the male indoor servants.’

‘What about the outdoor staff? I don’t know anything about gardening or the stables.’

‘You need to talk to Clem about that. He’s been a good estate manager for ten years and he’s reliable, especially with all those mouths to feed. I believe he and Ivy have seven children now.’

‘Will you come to the manor house and back me up? They’ll listen to you.’

Daisy shook her head. ‘No, Judy. You must do this on your own if you want them to respect you, but I’m here if you need me, and of course I’ll ride over to see Jack. Poor fellow, how is he?’