Feeling much refreshed after partaking of an excellent luncheon Rebecca prepared to visit the lawyer's office. She changed out of her carriage dress and into a rose-coloured kerseymere gown. The cheerful colour, worn so soon after her grandfather's death, would have been shocking to the ton, but Rebecca was not of their number and had no need to fear their censure. Besides, it was her grandfather himself who had decreed there was to be no period of mourning. “Tomfoolery for jackanapes!” he'd called it, betraying his lack of Society roots, and shaking his head over the custom of “people rigging themselves out like crows every time someone turns up their toes!”.

She missed him. But she consoled herself with the fact that he had had a long and happy life.

She recalled her thoughts to the present. Regarding herself in the cheval glass to check that she was tidy she adjusted the fine woollen folds of her gown, which draped themselves elegantly around her shoulders before falling from soft gathers beneath her breast into a long, slender skirt. She smoothed the long sleeves and tweaked the lace at the bodice and cuffs, and then sat down in front of the dressing-table so that Susan could arrange her hair. The maid brushed her ebony locks before pulling them into a neat and glossy chignon and then teasing out a row of ringlets round her face.

Well, she was ready.

“My dear, you look lovely,” said Hetty as she reached the bottom of the stairs. “Now, we had better go. We will be meeting Charles at the lawyer's office as he has had some business matters to attend to, but after that, he will be coming home with us. He is longing to see you again.”

“As I am longing to see him.”

The two ladies fastened their cloaks, settled their bonnets on their heads and pulled on their gloves.

“This snow!” exclaimed Hetty as they went out of the house. “It looks lovely, but it does make things difficult.” She turned to the coachman, resplendent in his livery, who was sitting on the box. “You will go carefully, won't you?” she asked anxiously. “Mr Marsden is very concerned about his horses.”