‘Let them. I can’t be responsible for what the gossips think or say. They’ll soon get tired of the subject and start on someone else. I have to look after the children and the estate, and I can’t do it all on my own.’

‘You have me, Rosie. Doesn’t that count for anything?’

Rosalind gave her a hug. ‘Of course it does, Hester. You are the one person in the whole world I could trust with my life. Now let’s forget about Alex and start planning for Christmas. We have the children to consider and the servants, too.’

‘What do you suggest?’

‘Rockwood might have been poor in the past, and our fortunes probably won’t recover from Piers being sentenced to transportation, but it was always a happy place. I intend to make it like that again. Now I’m going to the nursery and I’ll see you at dinner. Could you let Cook know that we have two more mouths to feed?’

The door opened before Hester had a chance to respond and Walter walked into the room. ‘What’s going on? I just saw Jarvis staggering upstairs behind a strange woman. She looks how I imagine the curse of Rockwood would appear if it were a person.’

Rosalind laughed. ‘I think you might have something there, Walter. That person is Cora Fletcher – it’s a long story and I’ll tell you at dinner – but she’s going to be Alexander’s housekeeper.’

‘So you found him in London?’

‘Yes, in the most degrading circumstances. I couldn’t leave him to suffer like that. Piers would have done the same, had he been able.’

‘You brought Alex back to Rockwood?’

‘I’ve given him Lambert’s position as steward. I need someone to handle the tenants and the rent collecting for me, and Alex seems like a good choice.’

‘Is he going to live here? You know that will make tongues wag.’

‘I’ve thought of that, Walter. He’s going to have Lambert’s cottage and Fletcher is going to live there, too. It’s all quite respectable.’

Walter wrapped his arms around her. ‘You’re a woman to be reckoned with, Rosie. I admire you tremendously. I hope when Louise and I have children that our daughter is just like you.’

‘I wouldn’t say that in front of Louise,’ Hester said, chuckling. ‘You never were very tactful, Walter.’

A dull flush spread from his thin cheeks to his neck above the cravat he had tied so badly. ‘I didn’t mean to disparage Louise. I was so scared she might refuse when I asked her to marry me, but she said “yes”. It was the happiest day of my life. I love her dearly.’