‘No tha hasn’t. Tha’s only got eyes for yon schoolmaster – calf eyes an’ all!’ said Jennet, laughing.

Chapter Twelve

As they approached the centre of town the shouting and raucous laughter grew louder and Jennet stared in disbelief at the men and women gathered around the barrels in the churchyard. Most were drunk and two more barrels were being rolled out from the pub across the road. She reached to grasp Bessie by the hand.

‘Let’s get off home,’ she said to Titus. ‘I don’t want to stay here and have the childer watch this.’

‘Aye, tha’s right. We’d best get back,’ he told James.

‘Hannah?’ Jennet touched her sister’s arm. ‘Tha’d best come back with us.’

‘But I’ll be late,’ she said. ‘I’m supposed to be back by four to help Cook.’

‘Which way are you going? I’ll walk with you,’ James offered.

Jennet watched the look of amazement and gratitude that flitted across her sister’s face. It was clear that she was quite enamoured of the schoolmaster, but Hannah was such a dreamer at times and she didn’t want her to get hurt. She suspected that Mr Hindle was only offering out of courtesy, but from the look on Hannah’s face anybody would think he was proposing to marry her.

‘To the Feildens’ town house on King Street.’

‘Really? I was there the other night.’

‘I know. I saw thee.’

‘Well, you should have said something.’

‘I don’t think Mrs Feilden would have been right pleased to have her maid of all work chatting with Mr Feilden’s guests,’ Hannah told him.

‘No, I suppose not.’

Jennet saw that his smile was warm as he held out his arm for her sister to take. Jennet watched them go. She was about to say to Titus that she wasn’t sure about the propriety of it, but when she turned he’d gone.

‘That went well,’ remarked Titus when she caught up with him.

‘I’m not so sure. Our Hannah’s a clever lass, but he’s a schoolmaster.’

‘I meant thee and Dr Bowring!’

‘Right. Aye, that went well. He seemed more open to the idea than Mrs Whittaker. But we’re still a way off getting owt done. I’ll just pop in next door and see how little Annie is,’ she said when they reached their door. ‘Put t’ kettle on for tea.’

She tapped on Molly’s door and pushed it open. ‘Only me!’ she called.

Molly and Harry were sitting on either side of the range. Neither of them spoke but they both looked up and she could see from their faces that something bad had happened.

‘Not Annie?’ she said as all the joy of the afternoon was snatched from her in a moment. They didn’t need to nod sadly for her to know that Annie had gone. The house felt empty, as if a soul was missing from it. ‘When?’

‘Not an hour ago,’ said Harry. His voice was little more than a whisper. ‘It were peaceful though. She just faded away.’