She knocked on the door and called out before pushing it open. The parlour smelled of fresh limewash and there were splats of it across the flagged floors that Jane hadn’t manage to scrub away.

‘I wish I had a bigger rug to hide the stains,’ she said when Hannah had taken her up on the offer of a cup of tea. Hannah was sitting in the chair opposite Jane. She knew it had been Eddie’s and it made her feel uncomfortable. It was as if his ghost still haunted the place. ‘It looks such a mess,’ Jane went on. ‘I’ve been asking about lodgers, but no one wants to live here.’

‘What will tha do then?’ asked Hannah. She felt guilty that she’d taken Jane’s job, but she’d never thought that Jane would need it back. Now, with this and the trouble that it had caused between her and Mary, she wished that Titus had never insisted that she went to ask about it. She’d got it under false pretences anyway and she lived in constant fear that her bogus letter of character would be found out.

‘I’m going to take in sewing, like I’d planned, but it’s not enough to live on,’ said Jane. ‘If I can’t find lodgers before I have to pay the rent again I’ll be forced to move out.’

‘Where will tha go?’

‘I don’t know.’ She shrugged. ‘I suppose I’ll have to find lodgings myself, but that’ll mean finding work outside the house and I know nowt about mills.’

‘There’s nobody takin’ on anyway.’

‘I suppose I could try getting back into service. I heard that Woodfold Hall has been sold to Mr Fowden. He might be wanting staff. But I were really looking forward to having a home of my own and it’s all spoiled now that Eddie’s gone. I keep expecting him to come in. I woke up this morning and just for a moment I thought he was there and everything was all right. Then I remembered and it was the shock of losing him all over again.’ She stared down at the tea growing cold in her lap. ‘I sometimes wish it had taken me as well,’ she whispered.

‘Don’t talk like that,’ Hannah told her. ‘Things’ll get easier.’

They sat in silence, listening to some footsteps coming up the street. Hannah expected them to pass on by, but they stopped at the door and there was a knock.

‘Who on earth can that be at this time of night?’ asked Jane, looking bewildered. She went to the window and pulled back the curtain to peep out; then she went to open the door.

‘Come in,’ she said and Hannah watched as James Hindle stepped over the threshold. Their eyes met, both of them surprised to see the other.

‘I thought I’d call to see how you were doing,’ James said to Jane.

‘Muddlin’ through,’ she replied. ‘Will tha have a cup o’ tea?’

‘Aye. Thanks.’ She waved him to the empty chair and he sat down facing Hannah. ‘How do,’ he greeted her.