Mrs Lucan’s eyebrows rose. ‘That is disgraceful,’ she said. ‘I’ll report it. I know who the owner is. Our cottage is the same rent, and yet it has so much more to offer.’ She leaned forward. ‘Let me explain. We can let the properties we own at a moderate rate because of a trust fund we put in place when we first bought them. The rent is not intended to be used for profit, but for maintenance of the properties and …’ She paused. ‘Well, it is not charity, but a form of goodwill towards those who have fallen on difficult times through no fault of their own, in the hope that they can get back on their feet and recover.’

Ellen stared and swallowed as her thoughts raced. We’ve fallen on difficult times; it wasn’t our fault that Mr Oswald died and someone else took over the farm and didn’t want Harry; nor that the grain should explode and burn out the mill and put Harry in hospital. Besides, not only were these things nothing to do with Harry, they were certainly nothing to do with the children; they and I have been caught up in them through no fault of our own. So why should we refuse a helping hand? She felt a sudden lightening of spirit.

She gave a great beam of pleasure. ‘We’ll take it, Mrs Lucan,’ she declared. ‘It’s exactly ’chance we need. When can we move in?’

The move was arranged for a week the next Saturday, and in the meantime Mrs Lucan said that the garden would be tidied up and she’d send someone in to make sure the cottage was clean. Ellen was astonished that she would go to so much trouble.

‘It’s no trouble at all, Mrs Randell,’ Mrs Lucan said. ‘You’ll have enough to do to move your furniture and keep an eye on the children without having to think of scrubbing floors or cleaning windows.’

‘My sister will be staying with us for ’time being,’ Ellen told her. ‘I hope that’s all right? She’s just started working in Mr Tannerson’s office.’

‘Oh, was that your sister? I called to see him before coming to you. Well done her for applying to work with him. I was so pleased to see a woman behind the desk, although I don’t know why I should be. Mrs Rose of the Rose Down oil company kept a firm hand on business, so I understand, as did Mrs Tannerson for many years, though I didn’t know either of them.’

‘Lizzie has a good head for figures,’ Ellen said proudly. ‘And she’s very efficient.’

‘Is she a single woman?’