‘But it was him as paid?’

Mrs Hall shook her head. ‘I can’t say,’ she repeated.

‘Then who?’ Mary couldn’t think of anyone else. Her father certainly wouldn’t have sent money. John would, of course, but he had no money other than what she’d given him, unless … She really hoped that he hadn’t gone back to stealing to pay for her care. There was Titus and Jennet. She knew they felt a bit to blame for her ending up here and Jennet had been kind to her, but she doubted they had the cash to spare.

‘Don’t fret about it,’ said Mrs Hall. ‘Everything’s paid for a while and then tha can get back to work as usual.’

‘I’m not sure I want to get back to that kind of work,’ she told Mrs Hall.

‘Well, if tha wants to go back to t’ mill or into service again, tha’s got time to look for summat,’ she said. ‘But when t’ money’s done I’ll expect thee to pay thy way if tha stays here.’

Mary stayed downstairs for the rest of the afternoon, keeping warm by the fire and watching as Mrs Hall went about her jobs.

‘I could be helping,’ she offered. ‘I could be shelling peas or summat whilst I’m sitting here.’

‘Rest up whilst tha can,’ Mrs Hall told her. ‘It’s a rare thing to have chance to be idle.’

It was true. Mary couldn’t remember ever having been able to sit about like a lady and do nothing, and to tell the truth she thought it was a bit boring. She would have welcomed some honest work to help pass the time, but Mrs Hall would have none of it.

As it approached knocking-off time in the mills, she went to open the front door and Mary heard her talking to William Hart in the parlour. She sighed. He didn’t seem able to stay away.

‘Take him his tea, will tha?’ asked Mrs Hall when she’d spooned a generous portion of potato pie into a dish.

‘Has he no home to go to?’ grumbled Mary, wincing as she stood up.

‘He’s not wed, if that’s what tha’s asking. And he’s not short of a bob or two either.’

‘Aye, well, some lass’ll be lucky then,’ she said as she pushed open the kitchen door.

‘Mary!’ He appeared to have taken over Mr Starkie’s seat by the fire. She put the meal down on the table and fetched him a spoon. He smiled up at her and she hoped that he didn’t think he was in with a chance now that Mr Starkie had made himself scarce. The thought made her shudder. Tomorrow she would begin to go round the mills again. Hopefully she’d find a proper job before the money ran out and she could say goodbye to this place for ever.

Next morning Mary got up early and washed and dressed herself. She didn’t feel too bad and after breakfast she put on her shawl and went out to look for work. But rather than going to the mills she found herself drawn towards King Street. She’d thought about Hannah more and more whilst she’d been ill and she wanted to thank her for what she’d done that night. She knew that if Hannah hadn’t sent someone to fetch Dr Barlow she probably wouldn’t be alive now. She ought to go and thank her. Besides, she missed her friend and maybe it was time for them to make up.