‘I’ll never be able to thank you enough, sir,’ she said.

‘There is no need,’ he replied. ‘You should never have been there in the first place. But, May, you have seen the worst side of mankind today. You must not think that we are all so depraved.’

‘I know that, sir.’

After a while she plucked up courage to ask the question uppermost in her mind. ‘Am I to have my old job back, sir?’

He smiled at her. ‘No, you are not. I have something else in mind.’ He raised a hand to prevent her further questioning. ‘Wait till we get home. I’ll tell you everything then.’

When they arrived at the house, May would have gone down the steps to the servants’ entrance but he took her arm and led her in through the front door. Lydia Freeman was waiting for them in the morning room. She was pale and May thought she had been crying. She got to her feet as they entered, twisting a tiny handkerchief in her fingers.

‘You found her.’

‘Yes, and unharmed, thank God,’ her husband responded.

‘You should be glad I did. If she had been dead in a ditch or … or worse, it would have been on your conscience. Now, please be so good as to ring for Mrs Wilkins.’

Mrs Freeman crossed the room and pulled the bell pull, and an awkward silence ensued. May wondered if she should try to apologise for her part in the events that had led up to her dismissal.

‘Ma’am,’ she began, ‘I’m really sorry if I displeased you about that sampler …’

It was Mr Freeman who cut in. ‘There is no need for you to apologise, May. I have spoken to Isabella and it is clear that you acted with the best intentions – and in the process created something rather beautiful.’

There was a knock and Mrs Wilkins came in. She saw May and pursed her lips in disapproval. ‘Oh, you’re back, are you?’

‘Yes, she is,’ Mr Freeman said, ‘and if I had not found her you would now be looking for another position.’

Mrs Wilkins shot May a look that said very clearly, ‘Just wait till I get you downstairs!’

‘However,’ Mr Freeman went on, ‘she is not staying. It has become apparent that May is totally unsuitable for her position as a maid of all work. She is far too good for that. You have failed to recognise her remarkable talents, Lydia, but I have not. So I am going to offer her a position more suited to her abilities.’ He turned to May and gave her a reassuring smile. ‘How do you like the idea of becoming a milliner’s apprentice?’

‘A milliner, sir? That’s someone who makes hats for ladies, isn’t it?’