Acknowledgements

I thank my four children for their continued support and encouragement in my writing life. Without them the enjoyment would not be as complete. They are always interested in the development of my latest novel. In this one Judith played an active part, vetting the work as it progressed; Geraldine read the work in its entirety and made suggestions for clarity; Anne and Duncan were ever ready to enquire the progress I was making and thereby spurred me to get on.

I must thank Kate Strachan, Assistant Archivist National Meteorological Archive and Hazel Clement of the Met Office for information about the weather conditions in 1879.

I also must thank all the staff at my publisher Piatkus for their help and support, particularly throughout the period of becoming an imprint of Little, Brown.

All my Jessica Blair books have been expertly and sympathetically edited by Lynn Curtis, this one no less so. Thank you, Lynn.