Her first step-daughter’s reaction had not been what one could call encouraging and, despite Nikolai’s reassurance, she was even more tentative about meeting this one. The journey to Scotland had been without incident but Ustinya had still spent every moment – well, every moment in which she was not distracted by her new husband – dwelling on the awful thought that the girls Nikolai spoke so highly of would hate her.

So far, her concern was proving entirely valid.

“Hello,” she said mildly, smiling timidly at the girl, stomach in utter knots at the reaction she was about to receive. She turned her head between father and daughter. “She’s just as beautiful as you said she was.”