‘What would tha want in return?’ she asked. ‘I’ve already told thee I’m sworn off men. I’d rather go to the workhouse than do that again.’

‘No!’ He looked shocked. ‘I wasn’t meaning that,’ he told her. ‘I was thinking that we’d be married.’

Mary was speechless for a moment. ‘Married?’ she repeated eventually. It wasn’t what she’d expected. ‘Why would tha want to marry a lass like me?’

‘Because I love thee, Mary.’ His face turned crimson to the roots of his hair but he held her gaze. ‘I love thee, Mary,’ he repeated.

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘No. It would never do. What would thy father say?’ she asked. ‘He’d never agree.’ It was one thing for him to have a lass on the side in a beerhouse, but she knew that his family would never approve of her as a wife.

‘Then I’d marry thee without their agreement,’ he said. ‘I can get other work. It doesn’t have to be for my father.’ He reached out and grasped her hand. ‘Just tell me tha’ll be my wife, Mary, and I’ll make it all right, I promise I will!’

She stood with her hand trapped in his. He gazed at her imploringly and still she felt nothing. But she was tempted. It would be better than the workhouse and it couldn’t be any worse than it had been before – with her own father and then Mr Starkie. She knew that William would be kind to her. Surely that was better than the alternatives, better than waiting in some forlorn hope that someone that she actually liked might come along to rescue her. And it would mean that she could do more for John. William might even agree to letting him come and lodge with them and that way he’d be able to keep his wages and she’d see to it that he was well fed and clothed. It would be the making of him because he was never going to amount to much whilst he was stuck at home on Paradise Lane.

‘I know tha doesn’t love me – not yet anyroad. But it’ll come, Mary. It will. I promise. I’ll be good to thee. Tha’ll never have to worry about where thy next meal’s coming from ever again.’

Still she hesitated. Even though she could see Mrs Hall behind the kitchen door and knew that she was listening to every word.

‘I’ll think on it,’ she said at last and pulled her hand free. ‘Tha’s taken me a bit by surprise and I need time to think.’

‘Then tha might say aye?’ He sounded hopeful.

‘I might,’ she agreed, wanting to buy herself some time. ‘But I need to think.’

He nodded; then he stood up and fixed his cap on his head. ‘I’ll come again tomorrow,’ he said, and with a nod towards Mrs Hall he left, leaving a cold draught from the door behind him.

‘Tha’s a ruddy fool!’ burst out Mrs Hall as soon as he’d gone. ‘What’s tha thinkin’ of? Tha should have told him aye straight away!’