‘You’re beautiful,’ Wilfred whispered close to her ear. ‘I could make your life so much better, if you would be nice to me.’

That was enough to galvanise Judy into action and she spun round, giving him a mighty shove that caught him off balance and sent him sprawling onto the flagstone floor.

‘Get off me,’ she cried angrily. ‘Do that again and I’ll tell Ma and the whole village what sort of man you are.’

He scrambled to his feet. ‘It was your fault, you little slut. You tempted me.’

‘I did no such thing. You disgust me.’

With a savage swipe of his hand he caught her round the side of her head, knocking her against the cupboard door, and she fell to the ground, jarring every bone in her body.

‘Breathe a word to your ma and I swear I’ll kill you.’

‘You wouldn’t dare.’ Judy scrambled to her feet. ‘If you harm me you’ll go to prison.’

‘Get out.’ He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the doorway. ‘I’ll never get any peace with you in the house, always giving me sly looks and driving me mad.’

She clung to the doorpost. ‘Let go of me. You can’t do this. Ma won’t allow it.’

‘You’ll go far away from here, or I’ll tell your mother that you tried to lure me into your bed like the harlot you are. Come here again and I swear I’ll strangle you.’

Judy backed away from him. ‘You haven’t heard the last of this. My mother will find out what you’ve done and you’ll be the one to leave the village.’

Wilfred picked up a bundle of clothes that lay on Judy’s bed for want of anywhere else to put them, and he tossed it after her. ‘Good riddance.’

Bruised, shocked and dazed by the suddenness of the attack, Judy picked up her belongings and limped away, not knowing what to do or where she would go. Her first thought was to run to Creek Hall, but then she would have to tell her mother that the man she married was a monster, and very soon the whole village would know. It was tempting, but Judy needed time to think. One thing was as clear as the babbling waters of the creek: she could not stay here a minute longer. The blow on the head and the fall had left her dazed and feeling sick, but it was getting dark and she needed to find somewhere to spend the night. There was only one place where she could go, and that was Colneyhurst. Daisy would take her in, but then Judy would have to tell her brothers and Molly what had happened, and she would have to explain why she had left home so suddenly. Her head was throbbing and by morning she would have a bruised cheek and maybe a black eye, making it impossible to hide the injuries caused by Wilfred’s savage blow.

Without having a plan in mind, Judy started walking. There were plenty of friends in the village who would give her shelter for the night, but that would mean explanations and she would be forced to reveal the part that her stepfather had played in her sudden flight. Her only thought at this moment was to protect her mother, who had been through enough hard times and heartache. Wilfred was a brute, but her mother seemed happy with him. There was no accounting for what a woman in love would put up with, and Judy was certain that Ma must be head over heels in love with the man she had married. Judy trudged along the road that led out of the village. Perhaps she would find a barn where she could shelter until morning. It had started to rain and she needed to find somewhere quickly.