‘Good morning, Mattie,’ Rosalind said, smiling. It was only a few weeks ago that she had played hide and seek with Mattie and other children from Rockwood village. The older boys had constructed a tree house in an ancient oak in the woods, designed by Cedric Cottingham, the squire’s son, although it had been Bertie’s idea originally. He had taken over from Ceddie and had organised the process with a degree of command that Rosalind admired. Mattie’s father was a fisherman and at the age of ten she was the eldest of six children. She had started working at the castle just a month ago, and Rosalind could only hope that Cook did not work her too hard.

‘Good morning, Miss Rosalind.’ Mattie bobbed a curtsey.

‘Are you settling in well, Mattie?’

‘Yes, miss. Thank you.’

Rosalind eyed the sticky patches where she had spilled some of the jam the previous evening. ‘I’m afraid I made a mess on the table, Mattie. I came down in the night to get something to eat because I was hungry.’

‘Yes, miss. I’ll clear it up before Cook gets here.’

‘You get up very early,’ Rosalind said cautiously. She could not ask outright if the boy had been here when Mattie came down to start her daily chores.

‘Yes, miss.’

‘Well, I mustn’t disturb you, Mattie. I’m going for a walk but I’ll be back soon. No need to tell Hester that I was here. It’s our secret.’ Rosalind left the kitchen before Mattie had a chance to answer and she stepped out into the courtyard. The sun was shining and it was warm, even this early in the morning. She had no need for a bonnet or shawl and she stepped out briskly, heading for the clifftops. Across the fields she could see Farmer Greep herding his cows towards the milking parlour, and a plume of smoke rose from Abe Coaker’s cottage on the edge of the copse. When she reached the top of the cliffs she shielded her eyes against the sunlight bouncing off the water, but the only vessels she could see were fishing boats. She could only hope that the mysterious boy had been rescued by the smugglers and that he was on his way home, wherever that might be. The waves had washed away any signs of a boat being dragged onto the shore and last night’s escapade might never have happened. It could have been a dream, but the boy was real enough. He had come into her life and now he was gone forever.

Look out for Dilly’s spellbinding six-part new series …

The Rockwood Chronicles

Beginning June 2021, with Fortune’s Daughter.

Available to pre-order now!

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