‘That settles it then.’ Alexander’s voice was grim. ‘Because believe me, my love, there’ll be murder done if he touches a hair of your head. You and Betsy are coming to live at Highfield Hall where I know you will be safe when I am away. Betsy can still go to her school if you insist, and you could continue at the bakery in the day when Daisy is around, but I’m not having you live there by yourselves. I mean it, Rose. I wouldn’t know a moment’s peace.’

It was the same day Amy’s baby had been born and she had seen Nathaniel. Alexander had surprised her by turning up at the bakery late at night when he had got home on leave for the wedding, and when she had heard someone knock she had been terrified it was Nathaniel. She had gone downstairs carrying a kitchen knife and had felt quite faint with relief when she had seen Alexander outside. Once she had told him what had happened he had been both incandescent with rage and beside himself with worry.

She stared at him, shaking her head. ‘He’s probably left the area and won’t come back, not after what I said to him.’

‘You don’t believe that any more than I do. And bear in mind we are not just talking about you and me here. There’s Betsy too. What would you do if he took her or hurt her? From what you’ve told me he is more than capable of it, if it would mean he could get to you. He is deranged, Rose.’

Yes, Nathaniel was deranged. She and Alexander were standing facing each other in the sitting room and she suddenly flung herself into his arms, bursting into tears.

He held her close, soothing her with terms of endearment, before pressing his case. ‘You’ve already said you’d like to get Daisy used to everything that is involved with running the bakery so that she can take over when we make our lives together somewhere else, so why not bring certain elements of that forward now? Daisy and the girls could move into the flat, for instance, and that would save her paying rent where she is now, and she could be more of a manager for you. You were talking about hiring another assistant soon with the business going so well, and if you do it would mean you’re not so tied every day. But the main thing is you must be safe, you and Betsy. You can’t take risks with a man like this Nathaniel, my love.’