‘Of course I’ll have thee. It doesn’t bother me what tha is. It’s just that it would have been easier to introduce thee to my family as a maid, rather than a …’

‘Prostitute,’ she finished for him.

‘Aye.’ He took a drink of his beer. ‘It’ll be all right,’ he said. ‘I’ll make sure of it. We’ll get that house on Penny Street and we’ll be happy. I promise.’

Mary was less sure, but if she had to take this man to her bed at least she would be able to do it with a ring on her finger.

‘I’ll take thee to meet them,’ he said. ‘Then they can see that tha’s a decent sort of lass and they need have no qualms. It’ll be all right,’ he repeated.

Mary wasn’t so sure.

Hannah was sitting at the table helping Jennet with some darning. It was dark outside by late afternoon now and it meant there was less daylight for intricate work. They both looked up when there was a knock on the door. No one called out and came in, so Jennet got up and went to answer it, tidying her hair as she did, knowing that it must be someone important.

Hannah was astounded when James Hindle stepped inside, taking off his hat and running his fingers through his hair to push it back from his face.

‘Hannah,’ he greeted her.

‘Come and sit where it’s warm,’ said Titus from his chair by the fire. ‘Jennet’ll make thee some tea.’

‘It was Hannah I wanted to talk to,’ James told him. ‘Would you like to walk for a bit?’ he asked her. ‘It’s cold outside but you’ll be all right if you wrap up warm.’

‘I’ll get my shawl,’ she said, reaching it down from the peg. She wished that she was wearing her best clothes rather than the shabby blouse and skirt that she had on, but it would look too obvious that she was trying to impress him if she went running up the stairs to get changed.

James told Titus and Jennet that he wouldn’t keep her out long and would see her safely back. Then they went out on to the street. She’d thought that she would never see him again, but here he was asking her to walk out with him. To be seen with him in public. She could scarcely believe it. Unless, of course, he hadn’t heard about her dismissal. In that case she would have to explain it to him herself and she dreaded what might happen then. To have him ignore her was one thing, but to have him deliberately walk away and tell her that he wanted nothing more to do with her would be devastating.

She pulled the shawl around her head and shoulders and he offered her his arm.

‘Dost tha know what’s happened?’ she asked tentatively, hardly daring to look up at him.

‘I’ve heard all sorts,’ he said. ‘That’s why I want to get it straight from you.’ They set off in the direction of the town centre. ‘I heard you’d been dismissed.’