There was a little purse that she had knitted another year and laboriously sewn onto it a button so that it could be closed.
There were things that Bird had collected, such as a fox’s brush that her father after a particularly good hunt had had mounted and then in a fit of unusual generosity had given to Bird as a souvenir.
There was the first bow and arrow he had made for David, which he had later discarded in favour of a gun.
Bird had also preserved his first cricket bat and the ball, which had gone through the greenhouse for which misdemeanour he had been severely punished.
There were dozens of small things that Ilina knew had made the Birds feel that they were part of the family.
She had lain awake at night wondering frantically how she could explain their importance to the Duke.
