She hugged him before she left and bid him not to say a word to their parents about seeing her. They were bound to find out soon enough, but for the time being she’d rather they didn’t know she was back in town.

There were plenty of inns and pubs where she could get a bed for a night or two until she found a job, she thought, but she needed one that wasn’t too expensive, especially as she’d just parted with a shilling. Not that she regretted it. She wouldn’t see her brother unshod whilst she had money in her purse.

She turned into Shorrock Fold. It was one of the oldest parts of town and the buildings had gables that jutted out into the street, making it too narrow for anything wider than a small cart. The Star was down here. She thought that it was fairly respectable – or as respectable as a beerhouse could be. The tenant was a woman too, a Mrs Hall, and Mary felt more comfortable asking for lodgings here than somewhere that was run by a man.

She opened the door and stepped inside. It smelled of stale beer and smoke and yesterday’s hotpot.

‘I’m not serving,’ said Mrs Hall. ‘I forgot to put the sneck down on t’ door. I’m open again at six.’

‘It’s not beer I’m after. I’m after a room for a day or two.’ The woman gave her a shrewd look. ‘I can pay,’ Mary added, taking out her purse and showing the landlady a florin.

Mrs Hall wrung out the cloth she’d been using to wipe her counter and hung it up to dry. ‘Right,’ she said. ‘Where’s tha come from?’

Mary decided it was probably best to be honest. ‘I were working as a parlour maid for Mr Sudell.’

‘I heard he’s done a runner.’

‘Aye. In the middle of the night. Took some staff with him. Rest of us have been thrown out.’

‘It’s a rum do,’ said the woman. She studied Mary again. ‘How will tha manage wi’ no wages?’

‘I’ll get work,’ said Mary. ‘I was in the mill afore so I can always go back to that, and I have a bit put by in the meantime.’

‘Three and six a week – up front,’ said the woman.

Mary counted out the coins on to the counter, thinking that she would only have enough for a few weeks if she didn’t get work. ‘Does it include meals?’ she asked hopefully.

‘Aye, there’s always summat t’ eat,’ said Mrs Hall. ‘Tha can lend a hand in th’ evenings if tha likes, until tha gets a proper job. I’ll knock a shilling off for that.’

‘All right,’ said Mary, relieved that she’d found somewhere so easily and didn’t have to risk sleeping on the streets.

She followed Mrs Hall up the steep stairs at the back of the building, up two flights to a small room under the eaves. It wasn’t so bad. Not as nice as the room she and Hannah had been given at Woodfold, but it looked clean. The walls were plain white but the floor was covered in patterned oilcloth. Under the tiny window with its small panes of thick glass there was an iron bed with a flock mattress and a pillow, a washstand with a flowery jug and basin, a chair and a small cupboard.