‘You must be exhausted, Mama.’

‘I am perfectly capable of walking up the steps into my own home.’ Arabella teetered off, swaying slightly as she crossed the pavement and ascended the steps to the front door.

Kate followed her parents into the elegant five-storey house that had been her childhood home. She could hear her mother’s querulous voice and the deeper responses from their housekeeper, Mrs Marsh. Housemaids were scurrying from room to room, their arms filled with holland covers. There was no sign of her father, and Kate felt safe in assuming that he had gone straight to his study.

‘I have had a fire lit in your bedchamber, my lady.’ Mrs Marsh turned to Kate with a pained expression. ‘We only heard of your arrival this morning, Miss Katherine. I’ve had to hire maids and scrub women because we weren’t prepared.’

‘My mother is worn out,’ Kate said firmly. ‘We’ll have to employ a new lady’s maid as soon as possible, but in the meantime have you someone who could fill that position on a temporary basis?’

‘There’s my daughter, Jenny. She’s only sixteen but she worked for Lady Dalrymple for a few months, so she knows how things should be done.’ Mrs Marsh lowered her voice. ‘She only left because Sir Horace was rather free with his attentions, if you know what I mean?’

‘That must have been very disturbing for her. I do remember Jenny. She was a skinny little thing who was always singing.’

A reluctant smile deepened the creases on Mrs Marsh’s lined face. ‘That’s my Jenny. A ray of sunshine, if you’ll pardon the expression. Shall I send her up to my lady’s room?’

‘By all means, and she should take a pot of tea and some bread and butter. Cake would be nice, if you have any.’

‘Leave it with me, Miss Katherine. What about yourself and Sir Bartholomew?’

‘I expect my father will dine at his club, and I’ll be happy with a light supper.’

‘There’s a fire in the morning parlour. I didn’t know whether you’d get here today or tomorrow. We’re all at sixes and sevens.’

Kate could see that Mrs Marsh was genuinely upset at the lack of preparations. ‘That suits me very well. I’ll be retiring to my room early – it’s been a long journey and an equally tiring day.’ She did not add that the emotional strain of leaving the man she loved and not knowing if he were alive or dead had affected her more than she would have thought possible.

‘I’m sure we all understand, Miss Katherine. We’ve been reading about the terrible goings-on in that country in the newspapers. Thank the Lord you were all spared and have come home safe and sound.’