‘And does tha really think he’ll want to wed her now?’ Jennet slammed his dinner down on the table.

‘Is that all there is?’ he asked, looking at the plate of cold oatcakes and cheese.

‘Tha’s lucky to get that,’ she told him. ‘I’m behind with my work as it is.’ She watched him eat for a moment. ‘Perhaps tha could go and explain it to them,’ she said. ‘If tha could make it right they might take her back.’

‘I wouldn’t go back!’ said Hannah.

‘What good would it do?’ asked Titus. ‘They’ll just think I’m covering up for her. Besides, I’ve to get back to work in a minute.’

Jennet watched in exasperation as he pulled his cap back on and went out. Hannah was crying again and the wet washing was still waiting to be pegged out to dry. Bessie was sitting in the corner sucking her thumb, upset by all the arguing, and Jennet knew that Molly next door would have had her ear pressed up to the wall to hear every word and that before teatime everyone on the street would know that Hannah had been sent home in disgrace.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Mary was peeling potatoes in the kitchen when William Hart came into the Star.

‘Anyone would think tha didn’t have a job of work to do,’ she told him as he stood in the doorway twisting his cap.

‘I’ve just slipped out for a moment. I have summat to tell thee.’

‘What?’ she asked, hoping he wasn’t going to press her for an answer to his proposal.

‘There’s a maid’s job going at the Feildens’ house. I’ve just heard that Hannah Chadwick’s been let go.’

‘Let go?’ asked Mary, turning to face him. ‘Does tha mean she’s been sacked? Why? What for?’ She couldn’t think of anything that her friend might have done wrong to warrant such an outcome.

‘It doesn’t matter why,’ he said. ‘Thing is they’ll need a new maid. I know as tha wants a better job, so tha needs to get round there straight away and enquire about it. Tha doesn’t mind if she slips out for half an hour, does tha?’ he asked Mrs Hall.

‘Nay. I’ll be glad to see t’ lass wi’ a better position.’

Mary let the half-peeled potato slip back into the water and dried her hands on a rough towel. Maybe this was the opportunity she’d been waiting for.

‘But what about a character reference?’ she asked him. ‘I never had one from Woodfold.’

‘Mrs Hall will write one for thee. Put that down,’ he urged as she continued to wipe her hands on the towel. ‘Go and put thy best frock on. I’ll walk with thee, if tha likes. I’ll have time if tha’s quick.’

She shook her head. ‘No. Get back to work,’ she told him.

‘But tha’ll go straight away?’

‘Aye. I’ll go,’ she promised. It would be better than staying here, she thought as she went upstairs to get changed. Although she suspected that it wasn’t just her own interests that he had in mind. If he could take her home and introduce her to his parents as someone who worked for Mr Feilden then they’d be much more amenable to a marriage, and she wondered if she wasn’t playing into his hands by agreeing to go. On the other hand, he might not have considered that if she got the job she would have a wage and a place to live and wouldn’t have to marry him at all.