‘You shouldn’t judge a person by their looks, my love. Poor Horace wasn’t blessed with a handsome countenance, but I’m sure that deep down he’s a kind man and would make someone a good husband.’
‘You don’t think that Aunt Jane means me to be the sacrificial lamb, do you? That would be too ridiculous.’
‘Jane is a wealthy woman and Horace has few prospects. Without a son and heir the Hubble line will come to an abrupt end. Jane doesn’t want that to happen and I think she’s desperate to find a bride for her cousin.’
‘I pity the woman who is chosen, that’s all I can say.’
‘I was watching him closely and from the way he was acting and the attention he paid you, I think he sees a way out of his predicament.’
‘No!’ Alice stared at her mother in horror. ‘I wouldn’t marry Horace Hubble if he was the last man on earth.’ She spun round at the sound of the door opening and saw her aunt standing on the threshold. Judging by the sour expression on her face she had heard everything. ‘I – I mean it, Aunt Jane,’ Alice said hastily. ‘If you’re thinking of encouraging me to marry your cousin, it won’t work.’
Jane folded her arms across her chest. ‘While you live under my roof you will do as I say. Horace might not be a young girl’s dream of romance, but he is a respectable man of good family, and his wife will be assured of living in modest comfort for the rest of her life. I will see to that.’
‘I’d sooner die than agree to such a marriage,’ Alice cried passionately.
‘People are expiring on the streets at this moment, and you have your mother to consider, Alice. How do you think she would survive in the workhouse? I advise you to think about it very carefully.’
‘I’m sorry, Aunt Jane, but nothing you could do or say would make any difference. I don’t know Mr Hubble. He’s a stranger to me, as I am to him. Surely he wouldn’t consider marrying someone he didn’t know?’
‘My cousin will do as I think best. He knows that his future depends upon satisfying me that the Hubble name will live on. Our ancestors were here before the time of William the Conqueror and we once owned half of Kent. Marry Horace, give him a son, and then we will all be happy.’
‘You might be,’ Alice said indignantly, ‘but I wouldn’t.’
‘It is asking a lot of her,’ Beth said softly. ‘Surely it would be better to allow them to get to know each other before making such demands, Jane?’
Jane turned on her in a fury. ‘What do you know about anything? You had neither brains nor breeding and you didn’t bring a dowry to the marriage. Clement could have done so much better.’
‘We were happy.’ Beth’s voice broke on a sob. ‘We loved each other. Doesn’t that count for anything?’
Alice moved swiftly to her mother’s side, placing her arm around Beth’s trembling shoulders. ‘Leave Mama out of this, Aunt Jane.’
Jane tossed her head. ‘I have only this to say to you, Alice Radcliffe. Agree to marry my cousin or leave this house and make your own way in the world. It’s your choice.’
Reluctantly, and only because of her mother’s weakened state of health, Alice agreed to consider Horace’s proposal should he pluck up the courage to make her an offer of marriage. She had no intention of accepting him, but until she could earn enough to support her mother and herself they would have to rely on Aunt Jane’s charity. The future looked bleak, but Alice Radcliffe was not one to give in without a fight. She went to bed in the cold, cheerless room with the precious Christmas card tucked beneath her pillow. To anyone else it might be just a piece of paper, but to her it was a symbol of family, love and security. No one could take away what was in her heart, not even Aunt Jane.
The child who greeted Alice next morning was totally different from the angry little girl of yesterday. Flora was up and dressed and had even made an effort to drag a comb through her tousled mop of hair.
She gave Alice a wide smile. ‘I was afraid you wouldn’t come.’
‘Why would you think that? I made a promise and I always keep my promises.’
‘Most grown-up people don’t,’ Flora said darkly. ‘They’ll say anything to keep me quiet, and then they go away and forget about me.’
Alice took the comb from her hand and began teasing out the tangles. ‘Well, I’m not like that, Flora.’
‘And will we still go outside and play snowballs?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘And decorate the tree?’
‘Yes, if your mama permits.’
‘She will or I’ll have a tantrum and scream until I make myself ill, or else I’ll hold my breath until I go blue in the face. That usually works.’
Alice shook her head. ‘I think we might be able to persuade her without you endangering your own life. We’ll try, shall we?’
‘Oh, all right,’ Flora said reluctantly. ‘Do we have to wait until after breakfast? I’m not really hungry.’
‘We don’t want to upset Cook, especially as she’ll be very busy with preparations for tomorrow. Can you imagine what it must be like to work in a hot kitchen?’
Flora put her head on one side, frowning. ‘No. I’m not allowed below stairs.’
‘Then perhaps we ought to visit the kitchens, and you can see how the servants have to live and work.’
‘Mama wouldn’t like it, but I would.’ Flora snatched the comb from Alice’s hand. ‘Shall we go now?’
‘Maybe later, but I think I hear Nettie coming with our breakfast. Don’t forget to thank her.’
‘Thank her? She’s a servant. We don’t thank them.’
‘Well, we do now,’ Alice said firmly. ‘I’m a servant in this house and you thank me.’
‘You’re different. I like you.’
‘And I like you too.’ Alice heard the rattling of china as Nettie struggled outside the door and she moved quickly to open it for her. ‘Good morning, Nettie,’ she said cheerfully.
‘Good morning, miss.’ Nettie shuffled over to the table and put the tray down with a clatter, spilling some of the milk from the blue-and-white china jug.
‘Thank you, Nettie,’ Alice said, nodding to Flora.
‘Thank you,’ Flora echoed, although she did not sound very convincing.
Nettie shot her a sideways glance. ‘I’m sorry I spilled the milk, but me chilblains are playing up this morning. You won’t tell on me, will you, miss?’
Flora shrugged. ‘I’ll throw the jug across the room, if you like. They expect me to do things like that.’
Nettie’s horrified expression made it hard for Alice to keep a straight face. She patted her on the shoulder. ‘Miss Flora is teasing you.’
‘Yes, miss.’ Nettie backed towards the door, opened it and fled.
‘Well done, Flora,’ Alice said, smiling. ‘You see, you can be nice when you put your mind to it. When Nettie gets over her shock she’ll be really grateful.’
Later, after what to Alice was now a magnificent breakfast of porridge, toast and strawberry jam, they put on their outdoor clothes and were making their way downstairs when Mrs Upton waylaid them outside the drawing room.
‘Where