She reached to grasp his hand on the table; his fingers were tightly clenched and she eased them until they began to unfold. ‘I know you wouldn’t tek a chance if ’odds were against us,’ she murmured. ‘But where would we live, Harry? We onny pay a peppercorn rent here, but even so we haven’t much money. Would we struggle to get by?’

‘We’d struggle on a farmhand’s wages anyway. We’ve been lucky wi’ having this cottage, Ellen.’ He shook his head. ‘Even if we stop in Holderness, money’s going to be short.’

Ellen was silent. It was true. Her parents had managed because her father had always had regular work, but now she wondered just how they had coped with so many children. Everyone she knew grew their own vegetables and kept chickens or a pig if they had the space. Could they do that in town? Would they even have a patch of soil to grow what they needed? No use asking Harry, he knew as little as she did about the town of Hull. He had never been there either.

The doctor called the following morning to enquire after Mary. He looked down her throat again and said the inflammation had gone down. ‘Tonsillitis,’ he said. ‘Not quinsy as I feared. She should be well again in a day or two, but keep giving her the willow bark, and if you take her out and there’s a cold wind make sure that she wears a warm scarf round her neck.’

He smiled at the little girl, who hid her face against her mother’s shoulder.

‘Thank you, doctor,’ Ellen said. ‘I’m very grateful. What do we owe you?’ She hoped it wouldn’t be too much.

‘Nothing.’ He shook his head. ‘I don’t charge a fee for children. Besides,’ he added, ‘I haven’t prescribed anything. You were doing the right thing, using your common sense. Don’t hesitate if you should need me again.’

‘Thank you,’ she said gratefully. ‘But – we might be moving from ’village into Hull.’

‘Oh?’

Ellen nodded. ‘My husband is going to seek work. His former employer, Mr Oswald, died and ’new farm owner is making some changes, and there’s no place for Harry in his plans.’

‘Would that be Mr Charlesworth?’ When Ellen said yes, he went on, ‘I’d heard he’s bought sheep. I understood that Holderness was more of a pig-breeding area, but then I’m not a countryman. Well, if you do decide to go to Hull I can give you the name of a good doctor.’