‘Don’t worry about him. He’s gone. I threw him out with the aid of me walking stick.’

‘But how did you know?’

‘Nancy Noon heard the goings-on, and she popped out of next door like a Jack-in-a-box to warn me. I found Wilf in such a state as I’d never seen before, and when I saw the broken stool and a smear of blood on the cupboard door, I knew that Nancy was telling the truth. He tried to give me some cock-and-bull story about you trying to make up to him, but I knew he was lying.’

‘I’m not trying to excuse him, Ma, but he’s your husband. You had that beautiful summer wedding before the old manor house burned to the ground. It was a lovely day.’

‘No one hurts one of my kids,’ Hilda said defiantly. ‘He’s gone and he ain’t never going to set foot in our house again. It’s you and me from now on.’

Judy eyed her mother curiously. ‘It’s really early, Ma. How did you know I was here?’

Hilda’s lips curved in a wry smile. ‘She told me not to tell you, but Dove sent a note with Billy, the head groom. She said that Dr Godfrey had found you on the road to Maldon and brought you here.’

Judy acknowledged this piece of information with a nod. She had asked Dove not to tell anyone of her whereabouts, but she could hardly blame her for breaking that trust. Perhaps running away was not the solution. She gave her mother a hug. ‘I’m glad she did, Ma. And I’m sorry you found out about Wilfred like this.’

Hilda sniffed and turned her head away. ‘I’d seen things in him that I didn’t see before we were married, but he was good at hiding his nasty side. Our marriage would have come to grief sooner or later, Judy. I’m just sorry you had to suffer. Anyway, let’s go and put the kettle on. We’ll have a quiet cup of tea before the others come down to start work.’

It was obvious when the rest of the staff arrived that news of Wilfred Faulkner’s appalling behaviour had spread throughout the village, but everyone maintained a tactful silence, and work went on as usual. Judy opted to remain at the Hall, and she carried on as well she could, although she was limited by the pain from her bruised ribs. She was very conscious of the bruises on her cheek, her swollen lip and the cut on her forehead, but she was lucky to have escaped a black eye, and she was grateful to her friends for their tactful silence. The events of last evening were something she would rather forget, and her mother was there at her side, like a protective guard dog.

Judy was polishing the floor in the Nevilles’ private parlour when Dr Godfrey walked into the room. She scrambled to her feet.

‘I’ll come back later, Doctor.’

He held up his hand. ‘No, please don’t go on my behalf. I came to see how you are.’ He gave her a critical look. ‘You should be at home, resting.’