She tidied her hair, which had got a bit wild during her frantic search through the parcel, and composed her face, then unlocked the door and went down the corridor, remembering to take the letters for Mr and Mrs Stellion with her.

‘Gina, love, would you like some lemon barley?’ asked Mrs Bassett as Gina tried to get by the kitchen without being seen.

Actually, a cooling drink would be nice. It was a hot June day and Gina’s panic over the parcel had left her feeling heated and uncomfortable.

‘Thank you, Mrs Bassett. I’ll take a jug up for Mrs S, too. I had hoped she’d be feeling a bit better today, but she says there’s nowt right about her at the moment.’

‘Oh dear, poor lady. I wonder if she could stomach a little lemon junket. Would you ask her, please, Gina? I’m using that many lemons at the moment, it’s a shame Tom and Ellen don’t grow them in one of them greenhouses.’

‘I bet Ellen would have a go if she thought you’d want them,’ said Gina vaguely. ‘But I’ll take the jug of barley water and go and find Mrs—’

‘And would you ask her if she and Mr Stellion are in for dinner this evening, please, Gina? I’m wondering if she’d manage to eat a chicken pie. I know Mr S always likes my pies. In fact, I remember him saying that—’

‘Yes, Mrs Bassett, I’ll ask. And now—’

‘And I’ve been wondering whether Tom might have some more of those new potatoes like he dug for me last week. They’d be just the thing to go with—’

‘I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him, Mrs Bassett.’

‘With carrots and spinach, I reckon. All new baby vegetables to tempt Mrs S with her sensitive stomach. Build her up a bit when she’s feeling fragile. What do you think, Gina, love?’

‘Lovely. And now—’

‘Of course, I could always just poach the chicken in a little light broth with the baby carrots. She always likes that when she’s feeling a bit under the weather. With mebbe a tiny bowl of the junket to follow. What do you reckon, Gina? And then again—’

‘Mrs Bassett,’ said Gina, rather too loudly, backing towards the door with the barley water on a tray, ‘I’m sure whatever you decide will be grand. Now please, can I just get on?’

She fled before the well-meaning cook had a chance to say anything more. Mrs Bassett had a heart of gold, but sometimes Gina just wished she’d shut up, especially now, when her mind was in turmoil about the opened parcel.