Fanny looked out of the window – through the rivulets that coursed down the glass – and captured one final image of the witnesses. None of the Knatchbull children were present – for some reason, Sir Edward had thought it best that they were elsewhere. But the dear Godmersham family was, of course, all on parade. Ned and George – tall, broad and strong – wrapped their arms around each other and held up their handsome, laughing faces to drink in the rain. William leaped up and thrust through between them, and they both boxed his ears. Lizzie and her husband sheltered beneath the old elm, sharing some sweet conversation. Two of her three bridesmaids, Louisa and Cassy, picked up their skirts and ran to the gate, waving and calling her name. If Fanny was at all concerned for the future welfare of her Knight siblings, then this was a comforting sight. Each had his or her favourite; each was safe, folded into – forever protected by – a particular group. She could see, with a pang, that they did not desperately need her.

Only the third bridesmaid, Marianne, came alone, some distance behind them. Her tread was more careful – she was jumping from one island of grass to the next, and walking on tiptoe. What a curious performance, thought Fanny with slight irritation. Until she was close enough for Fanny to identify the chosen footwear.

She was wearing her lovely white dancing shoes! Oh, for heaven’s sake. Only Marianne Knight could be so foolish as to wear silk in such weather. Fanny was half-minded to rap on the glass and tick her off. After all, now what would the girl put on her feet next time she went to a ball? And only then did she remember. The past month had been such a terrible rush. And really and truly her hands had been full. But still, she had promised and now did feel a slight stab of guilt. In all the bother, she had totally forgotten. Not that it mattered really, any more, given how things had turned out for her. But in the end, Marianne never had been officially brought ‘out’.

Beside the happy couple waited a smaller coach, carrying the servants who were accompanying Fanny into her new life: Sayce – dear Sayce! What a comfort it would be to have her – and Booker, who took no persuasion to continue with Mary, once the girl returned to live at Hatch. She craned her neck to meet their eyes, and issued a small, encouraging wave. After all, Fanny understood how hard it could be for staff to change households; she knew how hard it was for herself.

Her husband leaned over her shoulder, rubbed at the steam on the window, created a spyhole and said: ‘There, my dear. One last look at your family.’ He patted her knee. ‘Do they not look happy?’

And with that, Sir Edward and Lady Knatchbull set off for their new life at Mersham-le-Hatch.