‘Yes, so am I, but it’s much more sensible for him to spend winters on the mainland now. It can be bitterly cold here, as you know, and he’s very frail. Julia’s death hit him so hard. He’s been blessed with two happy marriages, but to lose them both – well, it takes its toll. That, and the state of the world. It’s a terrible thing to say, but I half wish he could be spared what we’re heading for.’

‘Yes, I can understand that. It will mean big changes for you, though.’

Hilaria stopped to straighten one of the pictures, conveniently not meeting his eye. ‘You’re right, it will. I’m trying not to think about that, though. Not until I have to.’

They were in the Victorian part of the house now, and Archie followed her down the kitchen stairs to the staff quarters. The door swung heavily shut behind them, marking the point where the tapestries and richly coloured rugs gave way to bare stone floors and walls painted an anaemic shade of green. It was draughty in the bowels of the house, and the passage – which was actually more like a tunnel – echoed with the footsteps of staff going purposefully about their work. Archie wondered why they were there.

‘Do you remember Henry Lee?’ Hilaria asked, stopping outside the door to the pantry. ‘He’s been here for nearly fifty years now. He was a footman when you and I were growing up.’

She knocked and went in, and although the name had only rung the faintest of bells, Archie recognised the elderly butler instantly. The room was spacious, with a high ceiling, good natural light and a cosy fire in the grate, and two footmen 98sat at a long table, polishing silver. Their stools scraped back noisily on the wooden floor as they stood to greet the lady of the house, and Hilaria nodded to them. ‘You’ll be pleased to see Archie Penrose, Lee. He often came over from the Loe Estate when we first arrived here. He and I used to get up to no end of tricks, and I seem to recall you colluding in most of them.’

‘Yes, of course, Miss.’ Lee smiled and bowed his head. ‘Very good to see you again, sir – and happy Christmas.’

‘And to you, Lee. It’s nice to be back.’

‘We’ve just had a message from Trannack, Miss. Mrs Carmichael wasn’t on the scheduled train, and there isn’t another service now until this evening. I’ve made arrangements with the Godolphin Hotel for her to stay there overnight if she arrives late. Depending on the weather, we can try and bring her over tomorrow.’

Hilaria sighed. ‘Very well, Lee. I don’t see what else we can do. Perhaps she’ll telephone to let us know. In the meantime, is that item still in the flower room?’

‘Yes, Miss. Locked, as you instructed. I’ll take you there now.’

‘Thank you.’ She turned to leave, but paused to admire a work in progress on one of the wide shelves that lined the room’s longest wall – a beautifully scaled model of the castle, made entirely from champagne corks and meticulous in its detail. ‘This is coming along well, Lee. We’ll do our best to give you plenty of raw materials to work with over Christmas.’ She cast a wry glance at Archie. ‘Heaven knows, we’ll need a drink. You could probably have it finished by Boxing Day.’