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There is no bathroom attached it.”
    â€œYou will have a washstand and you can use the bathroom along the hall.”
    â€œBut that is for the servants!”
    â€œThen the servants shall have to use the washstands in their rooms and only use the bathroom once a week.”
    â€œPapa – ” began Robina entreatingly.
    But he was not looking at her.
    He stared resolutely down at his meal before speaking,
    â€œYou will do as your stepmother asks, Robina. We intend to entertain important guests in the autumn and we cannot make them use the blue room and the other rooms will not be remodelled in time.”
    Robina wanted to cry. She had been in her room with its lovely views of the gardens since she was three.
    She put down her fork, unable to eat any more. The topic of conversation had quite made her lose her appetite.
    â€œMay I be excused,” she whispered, trying hard to prevent tears from welling up in her eyes.
    â€œVery well,” agreed her father.
    She was aware of her stepmother’s glare as she left the dining room.
    â€˜Just how dare she!’ she fumed, as she made for the garden, ‘she will not be content until she has chased me out of the house!’
    Robina noticed that a new fountain sparkled in the centre of the flower beds. This was one of the few renovations of her stepmother’s that she approved of, as she loved fountains.
    It was an exact copy of a fountain in the grounds of Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s holiday residence on the Isle of Wight, featuring a young boy entwined with a swan with jets of water that sprang up around them.
    Robina sat on the narrow ledge and dipped her hand into the cool water and it soothed her immensely.
    â€˜I shall suggest to the Earl that a water feature in his garden would be most beneficial,’ she mused.
    As she sat there, she forgot about her troubles with her stepmother as her thoughts dwelled on the Earl.
    â€˜I don’t think I would have recognised him if I had met him in the street. He has grown so tall and so handsome.’
    But romance was not something that concerned her – she had vowed to remain above such a notion in France and she did not see any good reason to cast that vow aside now that she was back in England.
    She told herself that her interest in the Earl of Hampton was strictly that of an old friend. In addition she felt that he would understand her grief, having lost both of his parents.
    â€˜It grieves me to say it, but it is as if I have lost my Papa as well. He has changed so much since Mama died. I still cannot believe that he has married again so soon after her death – it is not right. I don’t care what Nanny says about men being unable to be on their own – he is strong willed and self-sufficient and this woman must have just inveigled herself into his affections!’
    She was disturbed in her reveries by the sound of a cough and looked up to see Newman standing there.
    â€œExcuse me, miss, we have been instructed to begin removing your belongings to the blue bedroom. Would you care to supervise the proceedings?”
    Robina smiled at the faithful servant.
    She had the impression that he did not care for his new Mistress either!
    â€œThank you, Newman, that is very thoughtful of you. I am quite happy for Nanny to supervise the move.”
    â€œVery well, miss.”
    He turned around and walked purposefully back to the house and Robina resumed her musings.
    â€˜So I am to be moved like so much luggage in spite of expressing a desire to remain in my old room.’
    She stayed by the fountain for a time before going back to the house.
    As she entered she noticed that her stepmother was departing in the newly refurbished phaeton.
    â€˜Perfect. Perhaps I can speak with Papa on his own at last.’
    She hurried inside and made her way to the library, hoping he would be able to spare her a while to talk.
    Her heart was beating as she approached the library