‘No.’ Mary followed suit and picked up the chop from her basin to eat it with her fingers. ‘There wasn’t much chance to meet up with anyone at Woodfold.’

‘Right.’ She seemed strangely pleased. ‘Hast tha had an admirer in t’ past then?’

‘No, not really,’ said Mary. She didn’t think that Hargreaves counted as an admirer even though he had spent a lot of time staring at her as she leaned over the looms. ‘I were too busy working, and my father kept an eye on me.’

‘Right. How old is tha?’

‘Nineteen.’

‘I thought tha might be younger.’ She continued to study Mary as she chewed, making her feel as if she were being judged, although she wasn’t sure what for.

‘So hast tha never been with a man?’ asked Alice.

‘Been with …?’ It seemed an odd line of conversation from someone she’d only just met.

‘Aye. Been to bed with. Tha knows.’

‘Aye. I know what tha means. At least I think I do.’

‘Well?’

‘No …’ She felt her cheeks flushing.

‘Take no notice of Alice,’ said Mrs Hall. ‘She means no harm. Right,’ she added. ‘Let’s get this lot cleared away and open the door. I bet they’re already waiting.’

Mary lingered in the kitchen, washing the bowls, listening as the bolt was drawn back on the door and men’s voices spilled inside.

‘Come on. Get a shift on. There’s thirsty customers out here,’ Mrs Hall called to her and she went out into the parlour aware of a sudden pause in the conversation as several pairs of eyes took a good look at her.

‘Tha’s new,’ observed one man. ‘What’s thy name?’

‘Mary.’

‘Well, Mary, what about fetching a pint for me and my mates here?’

‘Yes, sir.’ She gave a slight curtsey and laughter rang around the room as she hurried away to draw the beer.

‘No need for that,’ hissed Mrs Hall. ‘Tha’s not at Sudell’s fancy house now.’

Mary flushed with anger as she got the beer. She didn’t like to be laughed at and she wondered whether coming here had been a good idea after all. But, she told herself, once she got a proper job she could find better lodgings and in the meantime, serving beer was saving her a shilling a week off her rent and she’d be a fool to turn it down to go and sit upstairs on her own in the little attic room.

‘So, where dost tha come from?’ asked the man when she returned with the beer.

‘Ireland, originally. We came here for work in the mills.’

‘But tha’s not a mill lass.’

‘Not recently. I’ve been working for the Sudells, up at Woodfold.’

‘I heard it’s all been locked up,’ he said before taking a long drink and wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

‘Aye. We were turfed out this mornin’.’

‘Tha’s done well to find another job so quick,’ he observed.

‘I’m only doin’ this until I can find summat better,’ she told him.