Her mother frowned. “I will require at least three gowns; you and the girls must make do with one. I doubt that there will be enough material left for you to have more.

“It's of no matter, Mama. I'll be content to have one new gown, I can assure you.”

Emily hoped that it was true that first impressions were what mattered. She would wear her new gown to make her first curtsy, after that she would have to return to her meagre wardrobe, and she knew nobody would be impressed by that.

Lady Althea watched the play of emotion across her eldest daughter's face. “I shall ask Mrs Simpson to make you and the girls two dresses each; it is essential that we all have at least one change of raiment.” Exhausted she sank back on her pillows. She opened her eyes again with difficulty, and reached over to take her daughter's hand. “I shall try harder, my love. I shall not be like this any longer. I will be your old mother again presently. Wait and see.”

Emily returned the squeeze and bent to kiss her mother's cheek. “I know you will, Mama, and I will help you. But it's going to take time to restore you to your former health. You must not expect to be back to normal in a week or so; you have been ill for two years, and it could be months before you're feeling quite well. But for the moment you must think about eating again and getting up and moving around your room. You have been lying still for far too long.”

But her mother was once more asleep, and had not heard her. Emily turned to Edwards, her eyes hard. “Give me the laudanum, Edwards. There will be no more.”

“But, Miss Emily, her ladyship cannot sleep without it. She'll be in desperate straits if you take it away.” Emily continued to hold out her hand and reluctantly the elderly woman went to retrieve the three small bottles of black, noxious fluid from their hiding place. “Whatever you may think, miss, your dear mother would not be alive today without that.”