Hilda threw her arms around his neck and burst into tears. ‘Oh, Wilfred, yes I will, with all my heart.’

Judy mopped her eyes on her apron as she hurried from the room, giving the lovers the privacy they deserved. She found Mary loitering in the corridor.

‘Well? What happened, Judy? Why are you crying? Didn’t it work out?’

‘Oh, yes, it did. It was quite beautiful and I think they’ll be very happy together.’

‘I’m glad.’ Mary hesitated, frowning.

‘What’s the matter?’ Judy asked anxiously.

‘Nothing really, it’s just hearsay, but I believe Faulkner can be a bit hot-tempered at times.’

‘But he seems so gentle with Ma. Perhaps he’s different with men.’

‘Yes, I’m sure you’re right, and he has a lot of responsibility looking after the horses and training the young boys. I’m sure they can be a handful, and I’ve no complaints about his work.’

‘I’ve never heard my brothers complain about him, but perhaps I ought to warn Ma.’

‘No, don’t do that, Judy. Your mother deserves a good life with a loving husband, and they will have the cottage.’ Mary gave Judy a calculating look. ‘You’ll stay here, of course.’

‘I hadn’t thought that far ahead, but thank you. I’d better start organising the wedding. I don’t suppose Ma is in a state to make the necessary arrangements.’

‘We’ll do this properly,’ Mary said firmly. ‘It will be a summer wedding, not on a grand scale like Daisy’s, but your mother will have the best we can give her. She will be a June bride, and there’s much to do before then.’

The forthcoming wedding had the household in the grip of a race against time. Mary decided to pay for everything, given that Hilda had earned very little during her time at Creek Manor and Faulkner’s wages as head groom would not cover the bare essentials. Hilda had wanted a quiet wedding, but Mary was eager to show off her home and her position as the squire’s widow, although she passed most of her responsibilities on to Judy, including the organisation of the wedding.

Judy’s first task was to help Hilda select the material for her wedding gown. Hilda insisted that it must be a sensible style that could be worn as her Sunday best. Miss Creedy, the village dressmaker, was given the task of making it, together with dresses for Judy and Molly, who were to be maids of honour. It also fell to Judy to organise the wedding breakfast on a very limited budget, although Mary refused to acknowledge the fact that funds were low. Judy, Cook and Mrs Ralston put their heads together, and with Molesworth’s help they chose food and wine that would suit all the guests.

Both Faulkner and Hilda were well known in the village, and Little Creek was such a tight-knit community that it would have been easier to invite everyone, but Judy had to be practical. With a limited budget she had to be ruthless when Hilda presented her with a long list, and they sat down together and managed to cut it down to a reasonable size. Judy spent several afternoons laboriously writing out the invitations, which were then delivered by Nate and Pip. Both boys said they were pleased to welcome Wilfred into the family, although Judy thought she detected unspoken criticisms of their mother’s choice behind their warm words. However, it was obvious that Hilda was radiant, and Judy would not have said anything to mar her mother’s happiness, so she kept the niggling concern to herself.