She made her way back to the Feildens’ house and once more lifted the latch on the gate. The butler must have been watching out for her. He appeared, as if by magic, and called to her. ‘This way!’

She went down the side path and in through the back door where she found herself in a modern kitchen where a cook was preparing the dinner, assisted by a scullery maid. The cook gave Hannah a brief smile as she replaced the lid on a pan. ‘Sit thee down,’ she said. ‘Tha looks a bit peaky.’

‘I’m fine thanks,’ she said, sitting on a chair at the table.

‘Here. Cup of tea,’ said the cook, putting a cup and saucer down in front of her. It looked like china, patterned with tiny flowers and seemed too good for servants. She hardly dared to pick it up and drink from it in case it broke. ‘Everything’s new,’ Cook told her. ‘We’re spoiled here. Hast tha come about the parlour maid’s job?’

‘Aye. Yes. I heard the present one is gettin’ wed.’

‘That’s right. She’s finishing at the end of the month.’

‘Has anyone else enquired?’ asked Hannah.

‘Aye. A couple. I don’t think Mrs Feilden were much impressed by ’em though.’

Hannah wondered if she should press the matter to discover what the other applicants might have been lacking, but before she had a chance, the butler came back and told her to follow him. He led her up a flight of stairs and they came out in the hallway from where a more splendid staircase rose before splitting into two to reach both wings of the house.

‘This way,’ said the butler and held open the door of a morning room to the east of the house where the sun was slanting in through the high windows. Mrs Feilden was sitting at a small desk with some letters spread in front of her and Hannah felt herself blush as she remembered the one in her pocket and wondered whether it would pass muster.

‘Your name?’ asked Mrs Feilden.

‘Hannah Chadwick, ma’am.’

‘No need for that. You can call me Mrs Feilden.’

‘Yes, ma’am, Mrs Feilden.’ Hannah found herself curtseying again and cursed herself for her lack of social skills. The Sudells had insisted on old-fashioned formality, but Mrs Feilden seemed to want to embrace modernity both in her house and in her dealings with her servants.

‘Have you worked as a maid before, Hannah?’

‘Yes, Mrs Feilden. I was employed by the Sudells at Woodfold Hall, but …’ Hannah hesitated.

‘Yes. It was an unusual thing to do, to disappear like that. It’s caused so much talk. Did you receive a character reference?’ she asked.

Hannah felt her cheeks burn and was sure that she would be found out. She considered turning and running away, except that she wasn’t sure of the way out. So she fumbled in her pocket and then held out the letter that Titus had written. Mrs Feilden unfolded it, glanced at it and put it on her desk. ‘What were your duties at Woodfold?’ she asked.