Fanny felt nervous. There was nothing aggressive in Marianne’s demeanour, but her words could – if one were so minded – be thought of as hostile. Of course, it was true that she was there as a guest and not, in fact, busy at all. No doubt it was annoying of her to pretend that she was. All the same, Fanny must acknowledge that something had happened to Marianne. Her sweetest little sister was definitely changed.

‘I must thank you,’ Fanny began in an exploratory fashion, ‘for having Mary Dorothea here these past months. It has been a great help to me, while I find my feet over at Hatch. I hope she has not proved too difficult a presence and has settled in well?’

‘We have found her a pleasant addition, and she seems to be as content here as could be hoped.’ Marianne spoke into the letter she was currently reading. ‘But perhaps she herself is the best person to ask?’ She looked up and over at Fanny. ‘Oh, but I am sure you already have.’

Had the maid provided sufficient hot water? Fanny made a great fuss of thumbing open silver lids and peering within.

‘Being such a talkative child—’

‘Mary Dorothea.’ Ah, hot water a-plenty. ‘Talkative.’ But was the milk cool? ‘Yes, of course.’

‘Indeed.’ Marianne put down her letter and turned her gaze on to her sister. ‘As she is well known to chat on almost for ever, and seemingly quite uninhibited when it comes to her feelings – almost frank, I am minded to say – there can be no doubt she would be honest with you. After all, you are her mama, are you not? But if for some reason that doesn’t suit, you might do worse than ask Cassy. The two girls are already the closest of friends.’ She arched one fine eyebrow. ‘As no doubt you are aware.’

So not only was Mary Dorothea famously garrulous, somehow she had also found a new friend in one of her sisters? Fanny could barely imagine it. At that moment, the heavy door opened and she was rescued by the arrival of the younger ones.

‘I do believe I love Twelfth Night even better than Christmas!’ Cassy was yawning and rubbing at her eyes. ‘I so wish Mary had been here, too. Do you know, her family has never celebrated it – is that not perfectly—’ She looked around the table, eyes wide with pity, then noticed Fanny and stopped herself. ‘Anyway, was I not quite the finest queen of all time?’

‘To the palace born, my dear.’ Marianne leaned over and put a dish of compote in front of her youngest sister. ‘Now eat up and sit up, or no prince will marry you, and then where will you be?’

‘And was I a good king?’ Brook – the youngest, gentlest and most timid of all the Knight brothers – seemed genuinely fearful of the response.