He smiled and Ellen thought how handsome he was. ‘Edyta has forgotten to say that I have changed my surname, as she has changed hers. I am now Karl Kidman. I am hoping soon to be a naturalized British citizen. Edyta will be the same when we marry.’ He took hold of her hand. ‘This is what we wish to tell you, that Edyta has agreed to marry me, and her brother and mother have raised no further objection.’ He looked at Edyta tenderly and her usual sharp expression softened. ‘But I hope she will keep her given name. I prefer it to Edith.’

‘Oh, I’m so pleased for you both.’ Ellen was delighted. ‘And yes, Edyta is a pretty name.’

Sarah and Mary slipped off the bed where they had been playing with their dolls and stood behind their mother. Mary put the tip of a finger between her lips.

‘Say hello, Sarah – Mary,’ Ellen said. ‘This is Mr Kidman, Miss Johnson’s friend.’

Obediently they both said hello, and Mary added confidingly that she had only just come back from her granny’s house as she’d had a cough.

Karl Kidman crouched down to their height and said he was very pleased to meet them and asked them what game they were playing. When they brought their peg dolls to show him he seemed very interested, and looked to see how they were made. Ellen caught Edyta’s eye and gave her a nod. She had made a good decision.

‘I also wanted to tell you that my Mutter will be leaving here soon,’ Edyta said. ‘When Karl and I marry I also will move out of the room upstairs, so perhaps you could rent it as a bedroom?’

When Harry came home that evening she told him what Edyta had said. He asked if she thought it a good idea. ‘It could be whilst we look for something else; it will give us more space, but it will mean more rent to pay, and I would dearly love a house with a proper oven.’ She sighed. ‘It doesn’t seem much to ask for, does it?’

In a pan over the fire she had fried up some shredded cabbage and half an onion with small slices of ham and then toasted bread for Harry’s supper, but she felt it wasn’t enough after a hard day’s work.

‘What about you?’ he asked. ‘Have you eaten, Ellen?’

‘I ate earlier,’ she said, not admitting that she had eaten no more than Thomas.

‘Here.’ He cut one of the slices of ham in half and handed it to her. ‘You’re eating for two, don’t forget. We don’t want you giving birth to a weakling.’