She changed into a clean blouse and put on her coat and her plain bonnet. She hoped that it would make the right impression. When she went back down, Mrs Hall had written a letter of recommendation.

‘I’ve told ’em tha’s honest and a hard worker,’ she said as she blotted it dry. ‘I hope tha gets it,’ she added, ‘although I’ll be sorry to lose thee. Tha’s a good little worker,’ she added.

The morning was cold with a fresh wind that had blown away the stench of the gunpowder from the dragoons’ guns. The workers had gone back to their jobs, afraid of being put out without pay, and on the face of it, Blackburn had returned to normal. Mary walked briskly down to King Street. She hesitated for only a moment at the gate before she went in, closed it behind her and followed the path to the back door. She knocked and waited, hoping that it wouldn’t be answered by the surly butler. She really didn’t fancy having to work for him, but if he kept his hands to himself then she would put up with him.

‘Yes?’ A red-headed lass stared at her curiously. ‘What does tha want?’ she asked.

‘I were told there was a vacancy for a maid.’

‘Well, tha heard wrong.’

Mary felt a weight of disappointment fall on to her shoulders. It was almost physical and she reached out to steady herself on the doorpost. William must have been misinformed.

‘Is Hannah here?’ she asked.

‘Hannah Chadwick? No.’

‘But she does work here?’

‘Not any more.’ So maybe it was true that she’d been dismissed.

‘Who is it, Jane?’ called a voice.

‘Someone asking for Hannah.’

‘Hannah’s gone, love,’ said a plump woman with flour dusted across her bare forearms. ‘She’s been let go.’

‘So there is a vacancy for a maid? I were told there was.’

‘No.’ The woman shook her head. ‘Jane here’s come back to fill the place. Tha’s heard wrong. I’m sorry.’

A moment later Mary found herself staring at the closed door. The letter from Mrs Hall was still in her hand. She crumpled it into a ball in her frustration. For just a short while she’d thought that she’d been given an option, but now she was left with no choice but to agree to marry William Hart, and probably without the blessing of his family.

‘Already taken?’ he asked suspiciously that evening when she told him what had happened.

‘Aye. I did go!’ she added. ‘It would have been a good job for me. I would have had a safe place to stay an’ all and I wouldn’t have to …’ She didn’t finish. She saw from his face that he understood her meaning.

‘But tha’ll say aye to me now?’

‘I don’t have much choice, do I?’ There, she thought, it was said. She’d agreed to marry him and she would have to make the best of it. ‘If tha’ll still have me,’ she added.