Hannah glanced around for Mary but she was nowhere to be seen and Hannah was relieved. She would have hated to see Mary ignoring her, or giving her black looks all night. She missed her, though. She wanted to make things right between them, but she had no idea how if Mary refused to speak to her. She just hoped that her friend was happy here at the Star. Even though she knew that it wasn’t what she would have chosen, Mary always looked well dressed when she saw her on the street and Mr Starkie wasn’t ashamed to have her on his arm. Hannah hoped that he genuinely liked her. Perhaps he would marry her, she thought. That would give her a happy ending.

Every time the door opened Hannah tried to glance round to see who had come in without it being too obvious, and every time it was someone other than James Hindle she felt her spirits plummet. She wondered about asking Titus if the schoolmaster was coming, but she was afraid that he would laugh at her.

The parlour was full now and Mrs Hall was struggling to get everyone served so that the meeting could begin.

‘Where’s Mary tonight?’ asked a man who had joined them at their table. Titus had introduced him as William Hart. He was an anxious-looking man who seemed out of place. He was a cut above the ordinary working men, but not quite gentry. He wasn’t well dressed or well spoken enough to be mistaken for the likes of the Feildens, but he stood out like a sore thumb in the Star with his silk cravat and polished boots. James Hindle negotiated the two spheres with more ease, thought Hannah. He hadn’t looked at all out of place at the Feildens’ supper party, but he was accepted by the men in the Star, who sometimes asked him to read something for them or help with a letter they were struggling to write.

‘Mary’s a bit poorly,’ said Mrs Hall as she put his beer down in front of him.

‘Not the cholera?’

‘No!’ Mrs Hall’s face darkened with anger at his unthinking remark. Hannah knew that even a rumour of cholera on the premises would be enough to close her down. ‘Of course not! I keep a clean place here and there’s no illness!’

‘Sorry. I was just worried.’

‘What’s it to thee anyroad?’ she demanded. ‘I can do without thee pickin’ another fight with Mr Starkie. She’s steppin’ out with him serious now, so keep away from her!’

‘Aye, I know,’ he mumbled, half hiding his face in his beer.

‘What’s to do with her then?’ asked Titus, trying to defuse the situation.

‘Women’s troubles,’ Mrs Hall told him. ‘She’s havin’ the night off.’

Hannah watched as she went back into the kitchen for more beer and wondered what was really wrong with Mary. Women’s troubles was enough to stop any man enquiring further but she knew that Mary would never take to her bed unless she was really ill. She was worried about her and wondered if Mrs Hall would let her go upstairs to check on her friend. It would have to wait until later though. Titus was rapping on the table for attention and beside her, James Hindle squeezed on to the stool that she’d been keeping hidden under the table. He grinned at her and his knee brushed hers as he handed Mrs Hall a coin when she put beer down next to him.