All told, 1825 had been rather an odd one, bringing as it had both extraordinary joy as well as worry and considerable unease. And now, as she looked back, Fanny could not say she had borne it all as well as she might have. Of course, most of her energies had been consumed by her first, darling baby – the light of her life; the saving grace. Perhaps it was simply the inevitable exhaustion that made her so cross about everything else?

For instance, that ghastly business of Lady Elizabeth Bligh refusing dear Ned: why had Fanny made such a fuss about that? It was her brother’s embarrassment, surely, not hers. But of course, as was her way, she had felt somehow responsible, and let herself in for unnecessary upset.

And then William’s marriage to the Portal girl – that too had gone badly, but why? After all, the boy was told to drop the governess and go off and find a rich girl. Yet, as soon as he did so, the Knatchbulls suddenly decided they could not approve her. Had she and Sir Edward behaved poorly? Might others perhaps have seen them as snobbish? After all, the Knights found no quarrel with the lady. Fanny paused for a moment to allow a brisk frisson of guilt.

Furthermore, in the privacy of that armchair, Fanny did have to admit that, while embracing her new role as a mother, she might have slightly neglected her younger stepsons. Were they happy at school? Did they mind frightfully when, in the holidays, they were packed off to relations? She could not rightly say, but made a mental note to kindly enquire the next time she saw them.

Fortunately, when it came to Mary Dorothea, Fanny need have no such concerns. The girl had been with them in Hatch for some months and conducted herself well: calling on all the right people, doing good works in the village … Although Fanny must admit her monitoring might not err on the side of obsessive, she had the comfort of knowing there was no need for it. Whatever others might say to the contrary, Fanny knew, in her heart, that poor Mary was essentially a bland, good little creature. And one who would be, soon enough, tucked away with Dr Knatchbull in Smeeth – an excellent arrangement that would, in time, relieve Fanny of much effort and worry.

The sound of a carriage at the front door interrupted her thoughts. Ah, that must be the menfolk returning from their meeting. Give them a moment to change out of their things before calling for tea … Until then, Fanny would resume her review.