‘The thing is, we had a lovely daughter …’ He stopped momentarily to clear his throat. ‘But unfortunately she died during the measles epidemic a few years ago.’ It was obviously painful for him to talk about it but he forced himself to go on. ‘Recently my wife was again with child but sadly she lost it early in the pregnancy and was very ill. The doctor advised us then that it would be harmful to her to attempt to have any more children. Hence our presence here.’

‘I see – but if it is a baby you were hoping for, I’m afraid I couldn’t help you,’ Sunday told him gently. ‘The youngest of our children are four years old now, ranging to their teens.’

‘Oh, it needn’t be a baby,’ Stella Dawes told her hastily, speaking for the first time. ‘A four-year-old would be wonderful. In fact, we passed the most delightful-looking little girl as we motored down the drive. She was dressed in a red coat and had the most beautiful dark hair. I was quite enchanted with her.’

Sunday’s heart lurched. ‘That would be Kitty,’ she told her. ‘And I’m afraid she isn’t one of the children who I could allow to leave.’ Just the thought of losing Kitty, even to such a lovely couple, made Sunday feel physically sick.

‘Oh, I see.’

Trying to ignore the disappointment on the woman’s face, Sunday told them, ‘But we do have a number of other children who might be suitable. Of course, I would need you to produce some references and I would also need to visit your home to ensure that it would be suitable for a child. Would that be possible?’

‘Oh yes,’ they said simultaneously.

‘Then that’s what we shall do.’ Sunday forced a smile. She had no wish to be rude but she was keen to get back to Zillah now. ‘Perhaps while you get the references together we could delay the visit for a week or two? A member of the family is very ill at the moment and I’m afraid I couldn’t spare the time to take things further just yet. I do hope you understand,’ she added.

‘Of course, and we hope that the patient will soon be on the mend. We shall look forward to hearing from you shortly then.’ Mr Dawes again shook her hand and gave her a card with his address on, and Sunday personally saw the couple to the front door before rushing back to Zillah’s side.

‘They took a keen interest in Kitty,’ Sunday told Tom that evening as they sat together enjoying a mug of cocoa when all the children were fast asleep, worn out by their frolics in the snow.

‘And what did you tell them about her?’ he asked.

Sunday fiddled with the fringes on the tablecloth so she could avoid his eyes. ‘I just explained that I couldn’t let her go,’ she said defensively. ‘Well I couldn’t, could I? Not when someone is paying us to look after her.’