It’s a very strange situation, Ellen thought as they trotted along, passing so much industry that she wondered if eventually housing would cease to exist in this area, but she also conjectured on the mysterious Mrs Lucan; how had she made her fortune to be able to afford property? Mr Tannerson had mentioned she ran an hotel. She must have been left it in her father’s will, Ellen decided, but on the other hand, why wasn’t it left to her brother? That was the usual state of affairs when there was money and property, as far as she knew. Mr Oswald, Harry’s previous employer, had left everything to his wife and daughters, but then, she reasoned, that was because he hadn’t any sons.

They were coming up to a crossroad and Tannerson called to her that this was the road to Beverley and she must visit the ancient market town at some time; he crossed over it into a narrower country road which had a stream flowing along it on one side and on the other a cluster of old cottages with small front gardens. Further along the road were fenced-off plots of land and she proffered the remark that there must be house building planned.

‘Big ideas for the area,’ Tannerson agreed. ‘The corporation is inspecting plans for the development of this space; this and the Newland area further along will be a high class development to complement the new park.’

‘There’s to be a park?’ Ellen exclaimed.

‘There is already a park,’ he told her. ‘The land was given to the people of Hull by Zachariah Pearson, a philanthropist and benefactor of the town. It’s the people’s park, free for everyone to enter. Lots of fresh air and walks in the gardens that are presently being laid out, with places for children to play. It will be a very desirable area in which to live.’

‘Is this where Dr Lucan and his wife will live?’ she asked, thinking that she could perhaps work for them, though it might be a long time before any buildings were finished.

‘That I don’t know,’ he said, and drew up outside the cottages. ‘They live in a villa on Beverley Road at present, which is why he looks after patients in the Sculcoates and Wincomlee district.’

But can’t earn any money from them, she thought as she stepped down from the trap. I can’t believe that anyone living in that area has any.

The cottage was the first on the left in a close of eight houses built of brick, stone and boulder, all facing each other. The two end houses that she could see had small casement windows on the ground and upper floors on the side walls facing the road which would bring in extra light, and a larger window to the front.