They both lapsed into silence for a while as they tried to digest what they had just discovered until Kitty poked her head around the door to ask, ‘Are you ready to start exercising the horses now, Tom?’ She stopped abruptly as she saw the looks on their faces.

‘Is anything wrong?’ she asked, and pulling himself together with an effort, Tom managed a weak smile.

‘No, pet, everything is fine. You go on out and start. I’ll be with you in a moment or two.’ Kitty, with Tom’s careful training, was now an accomplished horsewoman.

Tom heaved himself out of the chair. ‘Can we, err … speak about this later on when all the young ’uns are in bed? We can decide what we’re going to do about it then.’ He stared anxiously at his wife’s pale face.

‘Yes, of course.’ But she avoided his eyes and for the first time in their marriage Tom felt as if a chasm had opened up between them. Half of him, now that he was getting used to the information, was delighted to know that Ben was his son. After all, he was a fine upright chap, the sort any father would be proud of. But the other half of him was worried about how this earth-shaking news would affect Sunday. She was bound to feel hurt to know that he’d had a previous relationship with another girl, especially as that girl had given birth to his child when she herself had never been able to get in the family way. Would she feel jealous and resentful of Ben? he wondered. It was all very confusing and worrying.

With a sigh, he left the room, leaving Sunday to her own jumbled thoughts. Tears pricked sharp as needles at the back of her eyes. She supposed she should be pleased that now they had some legal claim to Ben, for hadn’t they loved and cared for him since he was a tiny baby? And yet she couldn’t get the picture of Tom with another woman out of her mind. And what were they supposed to do now? Should they tell Ben that, unknown to all of them, his natural father had brought him up? How would he react to the news? Would he be upset – or ecstatic? A headache began to throb behind her eyes.

The atmosphere between Sunday and Tom was strained that evening and Kitty, who was very astute, immediately picked up on it.

‘Are you two all right?’ she asked innocently as they all sat over steaming bowls of Cook’s leek and potato soup and fresh baked bread.

‘Oh yes, pet, I just have a bit of a headache, that’s all. In fact, I’m not really hungry so if you’ll excuse me I shall go and lie down for a while.’ With that Sunday rose from the table and left the room without even a glance in her husband’s direction.