Anna nodded. ‘When mill is built again. I hear from Filip that Edyta’s man, Karl, hopes to do work there too. He is excellent carpenter. He has been working at Flax and Cotton Mill. Filip saw him when he went to repair loom. I think when he has plenty of work he and Edyta will marry soon. That will be good, yes?’

Ellen fastened the buttons on Thomas’s coat and tied his bootlaces. ‘Yes,’ she agreed. ‘Things are looking up.’ She saw Anna’s puzzled frown. ‘Getting better,’ she explained. For some, she considered, as her thoughts flew to young Jim, but not for all.

‘Ah!’ Anna said. ‘Yes, we are looking up. No longer looking down in gutter.’

Lizzie arrived back at midday full of excitement and longing to tell Ellen about her interview, but Filip arrived at the same time. Ellen had to put on her coat and leave immediately, but not before Lizzie told her that she was starting work the next morning.

Another slice of good luck, Ellen thought as they bowled through the back streets in the direction of Albion Street, where Filip was meeting surveyors who would be working on the plans for the mill. ‘I think they will say pull down old one,’ Filip said. ‘It is almost a ruin. It will be quicker to build new than repair old. Ellen, tell me. Can I ask you? Is my English good enough?’

‘It’s excellent. You have learned so much in such a short time.’

‘But there are some words I don’t know,’ he said. ‘For example, what do I say to Tannerson for – can I have some money first before I begin work?’

Anna had mentioned the same thing this morning, Ellen recalled. ‘If someone is giving you work that’ll take a long time to prepare or complete – perhaps weeks or months – you can ask for an advance, or part of the price you’ve agreed on, rather than have to wait until ’work is finished. I think that can be done, although I have no experience of it.’

‘Ah, of course! In advance, yes, to come first. I understand. That is good. Thank you, Ellen. You are a good friend.’

She smiled, and said, ‘I hope so, Filip, but I know nothing about business. I only know how to look after ’money in my purse.’

He drew up outside one of the houses in Albion Street which had a brass plaque at the side of the door, above a short flight of stone steps.

‘Nice house,’ she commented, her gaze travelling from the basement area past the elegant windows to the rooftop. ‘Very nice. It must cost a great deal of money to have a house like this.’

‘I think so.’ His gaze followed hers. ‘I think we do the wrong kind of work to afford this, Ellen.’