‘Every day, except for Sundays, of course.’ He was not only very tall but broad across the shoulders, and although not exactly handsome, he had a presence – that was the only way she could describe the male magnetism emanating from him to herself. His clothes matched his voice, being those that the upper classes wore, and his leather riding boots were polished to perfection. Wishing he would go, she lowered her head and rearranged the tarts that were left, but when she looked up again he was still there.

‘I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself. Alexander Bembridge, at your service.’ He smiled again, revealing white, even teeth.

Hot now with embarrassment, she wondered if she should curtsy but decided not. Forcing a smile, she said, ‘Can I get you anything else, sir?’

‘Not today, thank you, but if these tarts are as delicious as they look no doubt I’ll be back.’ He stared at her face for a moment more as though he was going to say something else but then turned and walked away, and as he went she became aware that she was holding her breath and breathed out through her nose.

‘Hobnobbing with the toffs, are you, lass?’ Cissy, who had the stall on the other side, grinned at her as she spoke. ‘Bit of all right, isn’t he, Major Bembridge.’

‘Major?’

‘Aye. He’s the son of William Bembridge. You know, the industrialist who’s got that big estate outside Castleside and his finger in umpteen pies here an’ there.’ Seeing Rose’s blank face, she said, ‘No? By, lass, I thought everyone knew the name of Bembridge round here. Me sister was taken on there in the kitchens when she was a little scrap of nothing – she’s forty-odd now – and the stuff she used to bring back on her half-day off that the cook had slipped her kept us going, me mam having been left with twelve of us when me da died. They’ve only got the one lad though, the Bembridges, and rather than following in his father’s footsteps Mr Alexander went into the army. Caused a right to-do at the time, according to our Marge, but Mr Alexander stuck to his guns and his mam an’ da had to accept it.’ Cissy walked over to Rose, lowering her voice as she added, ‘What was he saying to you anyway? I’ve never seen him in the market before.’

‘Nothing really.’ Rose liked Cissy but the woman was the biggest gossip in the market. ‘Just asking when I was here, that’s all.’

Cissy raised her eyebrows. ‘Was he indeed?’

‘Not in that way. He just liked the tarts he bought,’ Rose said dismissively.

‘I bet that’s not all he likes.’

‘He was merely being polite.’