‘Mammy, look.’ Betsy held out her hand and in it was the coin Alexander had pressed on her. It was a gold sovereign.

Rose stared at the coin and then at Betsy’s bright eyes. It was far too much for a small child; he must have given it in error. And then she sighed. She could be wrong but she doubted if Alexander Bembridge did anything in error. She was going to have to be on her guard in the future because if he imagined that a ride in his grand carriage and a gold sovereign could turn her head he had another think coming. The last man in the world to get involved with in any shape or form would be him.

‘Who was that lady and little girl, Uncle Alex?’ As the coach turned for Castleside, Nicholas, his demeanour back to normal, moved to the other side opposite Alexander and his sister so he could see out of the window better.

‘Just friends of mine, Nicholas.’

‘She’s very beautiful, isn’t she,’ piped up Rosaleen. ‘Like the fairy queen in the picture book you gave me for my birthday. I liked the little girl too. Can she come and play with me one day?’

‘Of course she can’t,’ scoffed her brother. ‘When we go home it would be much too far away for Betsy to visit. Wouldn’t it, Uncle Alex?’

‘I’m afraid so.’ Alexander smiled at his goddaughter. ‘But I’m glad you liked Betsy, Rosaleen.’ In an effort to distract them, he added, ‘What did you enjoy most about the pantomime?’

‘The pretty ladies,’ Rosaleen said immediately, earning a snort of contempt from Nicholas.

‘You can see ladies in nice dresses any day of the week. What about the magician? You liked him, didn’t you?’

Rosaleen nodded. ‘But not as much as the ladies.’

‘For goodness’ sake. They only danced and sang.’

‘I don’t care. I liked them best.’