‘Well, next time you see her you may ask her again, and then come and ask me or Dada.’ She smiled. ‘Would you like that?’

‘Yes, please,’ they chorused.

‘You were right, Lizzie,’ Ellen said later when her sister arrived home. ‘There is a young girl living opposite, I haven’t met her yet, but Sarah and Mary have. She’s called Julia, apparently, and lives with her mother and brother Robbie who works in an office and doesn’t like it. Oh, and their cat is having kittens and ’girls have put in an order for one.’

‘Really?’ Lizzie laughed. ‘There you are, then. Out of the mouths of babes – you might have found your perfect person for looking after them.’

Ellen nodded. ‘I’ll still need money to start up, though – I’m not putting obstacles in the way,’ she said hastily. ‘I mean it. Wood and coal have to be paid for – and flour and lard.’

Lizzie sighed. ‘Why don’t you use your cleaning money strictly for those things, and pay ’rent out of Harry’s wages?’ She held up a letter addressed to Harry. ‘Insurers have given an indication of ’compensation. Where is he?’

Ellen’s eyes glowed. ‘He’s gone up to Mr Foster’s to look at ’range. He hasn’t seen it yet and ’other night I told him how much I’d like to do this if we can manage. So he’s gone to introduce himself and tek a look at it. I have to have his support, Lizzie, otherwise there’s no point in going ahead.’

‘I’d like to have a look at it too, Ellen,’ Lizzie observed. Slightly hesitantly, she added, ‘And although strictly I shouldn’t say so, you will be able to afford it.’

Ellen ran her tongue around her lips, which seemed to have suddenly gone dry. ‘If what you might be hinting is that we could manage without me setting this up after all—’

Lizzie’s expression was impassive. ‘The mill will probably take at least six months to build and I don’t know how long to fit and set up machinery and equipment; it’s not within my knowledge. But you might be looking at twelve months all told.’

‘I could have made a ton of bread in that time,’ Ellen pointed out.

Lizzie nodded. ‘And scones and cakes on ’residual heat?’

‘Yes!’ Ellen whooped. ‘Those too.’

‘You thought that all you wanted was a house with an oven to cook your family meals!’

‘I did,’ she agreed. ‘I do, and I’ve got it; but it’s all right to want something else as well, isn’t it?’

‘Of course it is.’ Lizzie opened her arms wide. ‘Come here and give your sister a big hug. I’m so proud of you, Ellen.’

‘I haven’t done anything yet.’ Ellen’s voice was muffled on Lizzie’s shoulder.

Lizzie held her at arms’ length. ‘But you will, Ellen, you will.’