“When you did not arrive last night I couldn't help being worried,” said Hetty. She sat down beside Rebecca on the gold-damasked sofa. “But your Uncle Charles was far more sensible. He said you must have been delayed by of the weather.”

“The weather was dreadful,” agreed Rebecca. “The roads were slippery and in several places the coachmen had to dig a way through the snow. But the worst part was when Biddy was taken ill. In the end, she was too poorly to continue. I had to leave her behind, in the care of a local apothecary.”

“Oh, poor Miss Biddulph. Still, you did the right thing. The journey would only have made her worse. A draughty coach is no place for someone who is ill. She is to join us here when she is better, I hope?”

“Yes. She will travel on by the mail.”

“Quite right,” said Hetty approvingly. “It is the quickest way of travelling, and if she is recovering from an ague she will not want to be too long on the road.”

The door opened and tea was brought in. Revived by a hot drink and a piece of seed cake, Rebecca told her aunt about the rest of her journey.

“Where did you stay last night?” asked Hetty, pouring Rebecca a second cup of tea. “It was a good hostelry, I hope? The food tolerable, and the sheets properly aired?”

“I stayed at The Nag's Head,” said Rebecca, sipping her tea.

“The Nag's Head?” Her aunt frowned. “I don't know it. How was your room?”

A sudden memory of her room, complete with partially-dressed gentleman, flashed into Rebecca's mind. She almost choked on her tea. Quickly she put down the cup. “Unfortunately the inn was so full I had to spend the night in the attic with Susan.”

She mentioned nothing of her encounter with the leonine gentleman. She was uncomfortably aware that she had not behaved in the most ladylike of fashions. She should have roused Susan and then, accompanied by her maid, demanded to see the landlord, leaving him to sort out the problem of the disputed room. Instead of which she had, unchaperoned, bandied words with a partially-clad gentleman! Behaviour which, whilst being unexceptionable in terms of courage, would be likely to draw her aunt's disapproval down on her head.