‘Eight shillings and sixpence a week. It used to be seven shillings and ninepence, which is just over twenty pounds a year. But after Louise died I decided to increase it because Isobel was taking on more responsibility than before, and I didn’t want her to leave us.’

‘So that’s how much a year?’

‘A shade over twenty-two pounds.’ He smiled. ‘I think she was rather surprised, but I was glad to do it. We really would not have managed without her. Why do you ask?’

Ursula stepped to one side to avoid a puddle. ‘I read something earlier in the week about wages, that’s all. Nothing with which you need to concern yourself.’

*

Rather than ringing the call bell from the drawing room to summon Isobel and interrupting her work, Ursula walked the few steps across the hall into the warm kitchen.

‘I think I need your help, Isobel. I am in somewhat of a quandary.’

‘Of course, if there is anything I can do, I will, Mrs Black.’

Ursula sat down at the table and pointed to the other chair. ‘Come and sit with me for a minute.’ She put a piece of folded paper on the table beside the teapot. ‘There is a café on Nicolson Street which I’ve visited a few times now, and I like the food they serve there.’

Isobel nodded. ‘And you would like to try some of their ideas?’

‘I would. There is one problem, though.’ She looked out of the window at the wintry sky for a moment. ‘The food is vegetarian. There is no meat or fish in the meals.’

‘None at all?’

‘None at all,’ Ursula echoed. ‘But I like it, and the more time I spend there, the more I have struggled to eat our meals. I push the meat around the plate and . . .’

‘I’ve noticed,’ Isobel said quietly. She didn’t want to appear cheeky.

‘I know I’m not explaining properly what the problem is.’ Ursula sighed. ‘The truth is, I don’t really understand it myself.’

Isobel twisted the long ties on her apron around her fingers. ‘I thought my cooking was displeasing you for some reason.’

‘Not at all.’ Ursula thought of the posters on the walls of Café Vegetaria. ‘Over the last few weeks, since I have been going to the café, I have begun to think of us as more of a team, Isobel.’

‘A team?’

‘Yes. We work together to run the house.’ Ursula found herself deliberately ignoring the views of her mother, who had always insisted on a certain distance between staff and family. ‘I know that I’m your employer, but it seems to me that things are changing in the world.’

Isobel risked a smile. ‘I think I might like to be part of a team,’ she said carefully.