‘I’m glad of that,’ said Jennet. She didn’t say that she’d seen Starkie with Alice and that she had her doubts about him.

Chapter Nineteen

Mary washed herself carefully in the warm water that Mrs Hall had carried up the stairs from the kitchen. She’d had enough of being stuck in her room and was determined to get dressed and go downstairs. For one thing, the weather had taken a turn for the worse and it was chilly up in the attic unless she stopped in bed with her blankets pulled up under her chin.

She clung on to the bannister rail as she eased herself down the steps. The bleeding had just about stopped, but she still felt very sore where the bandaging had rubbed her delicate skin, and she was glad that there’d been no visit from Mr Starkie. She hoped that he would wait until she was fully recovered before he resumed his attentions. Still, she was grateful that everything was being paid for. She doubted that Mrs Hall would have nursed her otherwise, and she might even have packed her off to the workhouse if she’d thought she was too much of a burden.

She heard voices as she approached the parlour door and wondered who was there at this time of the day. She went in to find William Hart and Mrs Hall sitting by the fire, each with a drink in their hand. There’d be hell to pay if Mr Starkie found her with him, she thought to herself. She was surprised that Mrs Hall was still letting him in after what had happened, but she supposed that Mrs Hall wasn’t one to ever turn away a paying customer.

‘Mary!’ he said. ‘Is tha feeling better? Come and sit down.’ He fetched a chair and placed it near to the blaze, even plumping up a cushion and sliding it in behind her back as she lowered herself gingerly to the seat. She wished he wouldn’t. It wasn’t just that she was afraid of Mr Starkie accusing her of encouraging him; she really didn’t like the man. It was hard to explain why she found him so irritating, but she disliked the way he allowed his gaze to linger on her for far too long, the way he hung around like a damp miasma even when she tried to hint that he should go away, and his tall lanky body that seemed to make him stoop all the time. He certainly didn’t have the charm of Mr Starkie and although she supposed he was nice enough in his way, he just wasn’t her idea of how a man should be.

‘Here.’ Mrs Hall put a half-pint of beer down next to her. ‘Dost tha want owt to eat? There’s a hotpot about ready?’

‘Aye. Thanks.’

‘What about thee?’ Mrs Hall asked William Hart.

He shook his thin face. ‘I’d best get back before I’m missed,’ he said, his eyes hardly leaving Mary. She would be glad when he was gone, she thought, although he still lingered for a while watching her eat, until he eventually made it to the door and let himself out.