‘But she is kind?’ he repeated. ‘To the girl?’

‘As far as I know.’ She studied her hands, wrinkled and red from washing the dishes. ‘I do hope so. Miss Ann had enough trouble with her mother, she can’t be dealing with any more.’

He hoisted the mail bag back onto his shoulder. ‘I’d better be off. Your neighbours might be taking notes.’ He reached forward and touched her arm. ‘You did your best, Isobel. That’s all any of us can do.’

‘I suppose. If only I had realised sooner.’

He shook his head. ‘And what could you have done?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Nothing. You could have done nothing.’

‘But—’

‘You have to stop blaming yourself, Isobel. It was not your fault.’ He opened the scullery door. ‘I’m sorry, I really must go.’

‘Wait a minute!’ Isobel rubbed her forehead, leaving a floury mark. ‘I’ve been thinking that we need a sign. Something so you know whether I’m on my own in the house or not.’

‘I suppose we don’t want anyone finding me in here when I should be out delivering.’

‘I’ll put the blue jar of soft soap on the scullery windowsill when she goes out, and I’ll take it away when she’s here. It’s not as though you call in every day, and it’s easy to see from the back gate.’

‘Right you are.’

‘If you see the jar then the coast is clear. And as long as you are ready to say you made a mistake if you do see her, that’ll make it alright.’

‘We can try that. I just don’t want you to get into trouble.’

‘I’ll be fine. We can do this. Give my regards to your wife.’

After he left, she put the blue jar on the windowsill. It looked pretty there, with the winter sunlight catching the sheen of the pottery. And half an hour later, when she heard Ursula return and the front door banging, she moved the jar further along the workbench. No one would notice, she was sure of it. People were not aware of things that did not affect them. That was how all the trouble had started before, with folk, and good ones at that, simply not noticing what was happening right under their noses.

Chapter 10

January 1911