It was an unstoppable tide and there was nothing that Kate could do or say that would prevent either her mother or Lady Lyndon from returning to their former residences. The only person who listened to Kate was Annie, who was persuaded by Joe to remain at Warren House. He had started working for Giles, and was learning the job of a land agent. The cottage he had been allocated needed some renovations, and Ted had set about mending the roof, while Ivy, with the help of two village women, cleaned the place from top to bottom. Joe moved in on his own, but Ivy promised to help out if needed, and a girl from the village went in daily to cook and clean.

Ivy and Ted were happily settled in their cottage in the grounds of Warren House and neither of them wanted to return to the city. The children thrived and were doing well at school, and Martha was delighted to have her kitchen to herself once more. Kate did her best to persuade her mother to remain at Warren House, but in the end she knew she had lost the battle and in some ways it suited her to return to London, too. Harry was somewhere in the city and she was determined to find him, no matter how dangerous it might prove.

The move back to London went smoothly enough, Kate having sent a telegram to Mrs Marsh, giving her warning so that the house could be made ready, and it was. Everything was sparkling as if cleaners had been working night and day to ensure that Lady Martin was not disappointed.

Mrs Marsh was obviously delighted to have the house reopened, but her main concern was for Jenny, and at the first opportunity she bombarded Kate with questions about India. Kate was careful to stress the beauty of the country, and the fact that peace had been restored, and though she knew very little about life in the military she assured Mrs Marsh that Hedley was a good man and Jenny was a resourceful woman. They would do well together, of that Kate was certain, and Mrs Marsh seemed happy with that. She went about her work humming a cheerful tune, and Kate could only hope that Jenny was finding life as an army wife lived up to her expectations. Two days later both Kate and Mrs Marsh received letters from Jenny, and it seemed that all their fears had been groundless. Jenny had settled happily into married life and Hedley had received a promotion. They were expecting their first child in late spring, and Jenny could not be more content. Kate remembered Harry’s words when he had accused her of matchmaking, and if that were true it seemed she had done her job well. Now all that remained was for her to find Harry.