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wanted to ask more, but refrained as they were about to enter a shop. An hour later purchases complete, she was sitting in front of roaring fire in a neat private parlour at The Black Sheep.
    ‘It looks like it’s turning right nasty out there, miss. Is someone collecting you from here?’ The jovial landlord spoke to them as he placed the steaming mugs of chocolate down.
    ‘No, we have walked down from Martlesham Hall, I’m just waiting for my maid to come back from an errand, and then we shall walk back.’
    The man scratched his bald pate and his smile slipped a little. ‘I don’t reckon you should risk it, miss, it’s a good long walk to the Hall and across open fields. The sea brings an icy wind to this area and when it snows it can soon turn into a blizzard.’
    She had been thinking that herself as she watched the heavy grey clouds roll across the sky obliterating the sun. ‘I’m afraid we have no choice, landlord, unless you have a vehicle which I can hire to transport us home?’
    He shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, miss, but I’ve only the one gig and that’s in use at the moment.’
    That moment the door opened and Molly came in, her cheeks flushed from the cold. ‘Miss Roberts, it’s turning really bad out there, if we’re going to get home today, I think we’d better leave straight away.’
    Hastily Cassie paid for the unfinished drinks and buttoned her charge back into her thick winter coat, tying her bonnet strings securely. Molly then did the same for her.
    Five minutes later they were back in the High Street and gusts of icy wind buffeted them back along the pavement. Amanda ran ahead, laughing as the wind whipped her coat open and closed as if unseen hands were snatching at it. Cassie took the opportunity to turn to Molly.
    ‘Did you find her, Molly? ‘
    ‘No, miss, it’s mighty strange, but all three properties are occupied, but none of them by you know who. I spoke to a Mrs Smith, who moved in yesterday to the cottage on the edge of the green. She told me that she had only been lucky enough to get that cottage because a young widow had cancelled her reservation at the last minute.’
    Cassie felt an icy shiver run up her spine and it wasn’t caused by the weather. She had no time to comment as Amanda ran back to her, her face glowing with excitement.
    ‘Isn’t this exciting, Miss Roberts? You know I’ve never been out in a storm before. Do you think it will snow before we get home? Shall we be like intrepid explorers?’
    ‘I fear that we shall, Miss Amanda. I for one am not overly partial to blizzards, but I’m prepared to enjoy the experience for your sake.’
    The child stared at over a moment and then laughed. ‘You’re funning me, Miss Roberts. I do so like it when you tease.’
    Cassie and Molly exchanged glances, the more she got to know her charge, the more there was to discover. The threatened snow started to fall in blustery clouds when they were halfway across the field. Fortunately they reached the shelter of Home Woods before it became too heavy. They paused underneath the overhanging branches to shake out their cloaks and stamp snow from their boots.
    ‘Well, that’s the worst of the journey over. Come along, Miss Amanda, let’s hold hands and see if we can run the rest of the way. That should warm us up sufficiently so we won’t die from the cold.’
    The child obediently held out her hand and gathering up her skirts Cassie started to increase her pace. They erupted on to the gravel circle at full speed, barely able to see a few yards in front of them through what had now become a blizzard. Breathless they raced round to the side door, which was always left open, and Molly held it back. As it slammed behind them they collapsed in a heap against the wall, laughing and brushing snow from their faces.
    Cassie was just about to undo the buttons on Amanda’s coat when she heard heavy footsteps approaching rapidly from the front hall.
     ‘Where the devil have you