Mary ran off to chase everyone up and Ellen smiled at Harry, who had parked himself on the grass and started to pick the daisies, slitting the green stalk with his thumbnail and sliding another stalk through it.

‘I can remember my sisters teaching me to do this when I was just a nipper,’ he said, ‘and then I taught Meg and Polly. It seems like a long time since we saw our families, doesn’t it? We’ve had some ups and downs since we came to live in Hull.’

‘We have,’ she agreed, ‘but things are getting better. We’ve got a lovely little house and you’re on ’mend now and will soon be back at work. I can cook proper dinners in my oven and ’children are happy. Life is just about perfect.’

They enjoyed their picnic and made their daisy chains and all of them, including Harry and the boys, walked home with garlands of daisies in their hair, with Mary and Zophia each clutching a bunch of wilting dandelions.

‘What a lovely afternoon it’s been.’ Ellen took hold of Harry’s hand again as they walked. ‘We must do it again before you go back to work. The children are growing so fast, and we must mek good use of this time, before they leave childhood behind.’

The meeting was held in Tannerson’s office. Lizzie’s desk was moved further back, leaving just enough room for her to sit behind it and make notes. Kirkwood and Filip brought up a wooden bench for themselves and Harry, and Tannerson had his own chair which he placed at the side of Lizzie’s desk.

When they were all settled, Lizzie provided them with notepaper and pencils so that they could jot down any questions or ideas that occurred to them; then Tannerson stood up and thanked them for coming to the inaugural meeting regarding the restructuring of Tannerson and Partner.

‘This is only an informal gathering,’ he began, ‘but I would like to think that the people here today might be at the core of such meetings in the future. Harry Randell already knows Filip Bosco, but Jack Kirkwood doesn’t.’ The two men bent forward to acknowledge each other.

‘The work to begin clearing the site will begin next week, and the faster it is done the sooner we can make a start on building at least the shell of the new structure; a poster will go up on the gates from tomorrow asking for reliable labourers. The rubble and waste will be sold and used for the extension of Victoria Dock and the resiting and extension of railway lines, and the price received will go towards the new mill. This is an exciting time in England’s history of industry, and although we have been beset by disaster I hope we can turn our adversity into great success.