‘Where’s she gone?’

‘Don’t know. Don’t care. We’re well shut of ’er. Now, who’s that bangin’ on t’ door? Can’t they see as we’re not open yet?’ She slammed down the knife she was using to cut up the scrag ends of meat and went into the parlour. ‘We’re not open!’ she shouted, but a moment later she lifted the sneck and Mary heard Mr Starkie’s voice. He came into the kitchen and stared at her face.

‘Has t’ doctor seen her?’ he asked Mrs Hall.

‘She doesn’t need a doctor. It’ll heal up in a day or two.’

‘It doesn’t look like it will.’ He stared at her again and Mary began to wonder how bad she looked. Mrs Hall had taken her little mirror away saying it was best not to dwell on it, but Mr Starkie’s expression and the throbbing in her cheekbones told her otherwise.

‘She needs summat for t’ pain at least.’

‘I’ve given her a sip or two of gin.’ It was true and Mary wondered whether that was part of the reason the sink in front of her seemed to sway from side to side every time she moved her head.

‘She could do with a few drops of laudanum. She needs to go to t’ Dispensary. I’ll take her. Get thy shawl, Mary!’ he instructed her. ‘And here, take this.’ He gave her a brown paper parcel. ‘It’s a frock,’ he said as she stared at it uncertainly, ‘like I promised.’

‘Who’s payin’ for this doctor visit?’ she heard Mrs Hall ask as she went upstairs.

‘I am,’ he said. ‘Tha doesn’t need to fret.’

‘What happened?’ Mr Starkie asked her as they walked towards King Street. Mary had pulled her shawl around her head and face despite the warmth and was aware that people were staring at her as they passed. She told him about Alice.

‘I’m sure she’s sorry for it,’ he said. ‘I know she has a bit of a temper, but she’s not a bad lass. Tha weren’t thinking of making a complaint to the magistrate, or owt like that?’

‘No,’ said Mary. It hurt when she shook her head. She’d never even considered it. She’d been brought up to believe that it was best to settle your own scores and not involve the gentry.

‘I think that’s for the best,’ he said. ‘No need to tell everyone.’

There were a few other people waiting when they reached the Dispensary. Most looked deathly pale and one woman went out twice to throw up on the street outside the door. Mary hoped it wasn’t the cholera.

They sat down on one of the benches to wait. Mary loosened the shawl and saw them stare at her and then at Mr Starkie. She knew that they all thought he’d done it and she was sorry that he took the blame in silence and was glad when it was her turn and she was called through to see Dr Scaife.

The doctor held her head gently and stared at the injuries, asking her about how much it had bled, whether she could breathe through her nose and if it had always been that shape.