Do you want to talk about it?’
‘Not really. Julian is the elder son of the Carrington family and I was employed as governess to his younger brother. I don’t know how it happened, but Julian and I fell in love. He asked me to marry him, but he wanted to keep our engagement a secret until his twenty-first birthday.’
‘His parents might have objected?’
‘Yes, they would, although it didn’t come to that. Julian wrote to me from Oxford, telling me that he’d been offered a job in the diplomatic service in Paris, and was leaving immediately.’
‘I don’t see why that would matter. In fact, it would seem ideal for a young married couple to set up home far away from the disapproving family.’
‘Perhaps, but Julian obviously didn’t see it like that. Maybe he had second thoughts. I don’t know.’
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you, Daisy.’
‘I’m all right.’ Daisy shot him a sideways glance and smiled. ‘In fact, I’d forgotten about Julian for a while. I’ve had more important things to think about.’
‘Meaning the Fox family?’
‘I really would like to do something for them, Nick. But I wouldn’t know where to start.’
‘You are helping by giving Linnet a job, and you could call on Jack each day to see how he’s getting on. His mother and father are obviously too sick to look after him properly.’
Daisy stared ahead into the swirling snow. ‘I wonder if they would allow me to take him to Creek Cottage. He’s not ill, he just needs someone to make sure he gets proper food and rest until his arm heals. I could help him with his lessons, if the schoolmaster would allow such a thing.’
‘I think that’s an excellent idea. You’d have Linnet to help you, and I could put a word in with Lemuel, if you wish. Again, I’ve known him since I was a boy, and he trusts me.’
‘I’ll have to ask my aunt and uncle, but I’m sure they’d agree. There’s plenty of room in the cottage, and it would give me something to do. I’m not the sort of person who enjoys being idle.’ Daisy huddled beneath the travelling rug, holding the umbrella so that it shielded Nick as well as herself from the driving snow. They lapsed into silence as the horse plodded along the now familiar road with the wood on one side and the creek on the other. The water gleamed silkily in the cold light reflected off the snow, and the trees in the wood stood out dark and mysterious against a silvery background. The cold was intense and soon Daisy had lost all the feeling in her toes and fingertips.
It was a relief when the lights from Creek Cottage beamed at them like a welcoming smile. Nick climbed down to help her to the ground and they stood for a moment, so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek.
‘Thank you for supper and for bringing me home.’ Daisy moved away as the front door opened and they were caught in a beam of light from the lantern Eleanora held in her hand.
‘Is that you, Daisy? I was beginning to worry.’
‘I brought her home safe, Mrs Marshall,’ Nick said cheerfully. ‘You must excuse me if I don’t linger, but I want to get back before the snow gets any deeper.’
‘I wish we’d never come to this godforsaken place.’ Eleanora reached out to grab Daisy by the hand. ‘Good night, Doctor.’
‘It isn’t always like this, Mrs Marshall.’ Nick tipped his hat, sending a shower of soft snow into the air. ‘Spring can’t be far off and it’s really beautiful here in the summer.’
‘I doubt if we’ll be here much longer if this dreadful snow persists.’ Eleanora dragged Daisy into the cottage and slammed the door. ‘I didn’t mean to be rude, but it’s too cold to stand there and discuss the weather.’
‘I still have his umbrella.’ Daisy opened the door in time to see the chaise disappearing into the darkness.
‘It will probably be pelting with rain tomorrow,’ Eleanora said grimly. ‘Give it back to him when the weather improves. Anyway, your uncle has gone to bed and I’m about to follow him. I was just waiting up for you, Daisy.’
‘But it can’t be much later than nine o’clock, Aunt.’
‘It feels much later.’ She put the lantern on the hall table and lit a candle. She headed for the stairs, holding the chamber candlestick in one hand and clutching the banister rail with the other. ‘Good night, Daisy.’
‘Good night, Aunt.’ Daisy watched her aunt as she marched up the stairs, accompanied by the shadow cast by her candle. She had made her feelings about living in the country quite clear, and Daisy decided that this was not the right time to ask if Jack could stay with them while his broken bone mended.
She shivered and flexed her fingers, which were tingling painfully. A cup of hot cocoa would be just the thing to settle her for the night and she made her way to the kitchen, but as she entered the room she was aware of soft, even breathing. She held the lantern higher and she could just make out Linnet’s sleeping form, curled up like a kitten in front of the range.
‘Linnet, are you all right?’
Linnet stretched and opened her eyes. She scrambled to her feet. ‘I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t know you wanted anything.’
‘I didn’t mean to disturb you,’ Daisy said hastily, ‘but you shouldn’t sleep on the floor. You’ll be stiff and aching in the morning.’
‘It won’t be the first time, miss. At home I used to sleep on a mattress top to toe with my sister, with Jack snoring away in the truckle bed.’
‘I thought you went home every night.’
‘The missis said I could stay because of the snow.’
‘Then at least she should have made sure you had a proper bed to sleep on.’
Linnet scrambled to her feet. ‘No, miss. Please, it’s all right. I don’t want to make a fuss or I’ll lose my job.’
Daisy placed the lantern on the table. ‘I understand, but we can’t have you lying on the floor like an animal. I’ll fetch some bedding and I think we both could do with a cup of cocoa. Do you know how to make it?’
‘It’s our Christmas morning treat, miss. I made it this year, so I know what to do.’
‘Lots of sugar,’ Daisy said, smiling. ‘You do that and I’ll see what I can find to make you more comfortable.’ She hesitated in the doorway. ‘You heard about Jack’s injury, I suppose?’
‘Hattie told me, miss. She said that you and the doctor had looked after him. He’s a young limb if ever there was one, always in trouble, but he’s a good boy at heart.’
‘I believe that, Linnet. He was very brave when Dr Neville set his arm.’
Daisy left Linnet to make the cocoa while she went upstairs to take the coverlet and a pillow from Toby’s room. It was unlikely that he would come to stay in the foreseeable future, but she did not want to offend her aunt by allowing a servant to sleep in his bed. There were a couple of small attic rooms beneath the eaves on the top floor. Hattie had one and with a little effort the second could be made habitable for Linnet. It would be up for discussion tomorrow, when, she hoped, Aunt Eleanora would be in a happier mood, and Daisy would bring up the subject of taking care of young Jack. It would make life a lot easier if his sister were to live in – Daisy smiled to herself. With luck all the pieces would fall into place, and just maybe her aunt would feel more settled in the country. It would be a shame to return to London too soon. There were people who needed her help, Dr Neville being one of them.
Daisy was up early next morning, but she was not the first down