‘I wouldn’t like to say, and never mind Ben, wait till Ruby gets hold of him.’ She had a certain reputation for being lively. He felt something spark inside him that felt a lot like relief – not at the sadness Merrin might be feeling or for the humiliation she had endured, but simply at the thought that the girl he loved was not taking the name of or spending the night with Digby Mortimer. He decided to keep his relief to himself. ‘Did you see Merry? How is she?’ The enormity of the situation started to sink in, and one thing was for sure, this was no time for celebration, not if Merrin was hurting. He would never want that.

‘No, I didn’t see her. The vicar gave a short speech and all hell broke loose. Some of the women in the church started crying and Heather and Granny Kellow went roaring up the aisle like they were on a mission! I’ve never seen the old girl move so fast.’

‘I’d best get the cart back round; they are going to need a lift home.’

‘They could walk?’ Robin suggested. ‘It’s not like they have much to celebrate.’

Robin was right about that.

‘Help me get the flowers off!’ Jarvis set to, removing the pretty braids that had been so admired not an hour since. He figured Merrin would need no reminder of the journey she had taken, laughing among the flowers . . . Robin tugged on a plait of ivy and tossed it to the floor along with the bunches of lavender that had been tied into the corners. By the time they had finished, the cart, whilst still in better condition than it had been for years, was a lot less ostentatious.

‘Come on, Daisy. Come on, old girl!’ Jarvis climbed up into the seat and, with a soft click to the roof of his mouth, set off towards the church to collect the girl he quietly and discreetly loved.

Her face . . . he knew he would never forget it. Flanked by her parents, she had a look of utter confusion, as if she didn’t know which way to turn. Her mouth open, she was gasping for breath and without the words to convey her sorrow that her eyes had no such trouble relaying.