She glanced critically at Billy during this remark; he was perched on the wide windowsill with Florence sitting next to him as they had run out of chairs. Billy cleared his throat and said, ‘All right, if it’s confession time, Florence and I have something to say too. You might have guessed that Florence is going to stay in my life; she’s agreed to marry me, and that’s summat I never really expected to happen.’

He clasped her hand, and added, ‘Neither did I expect that she’d agree to ’plans I’ve had in my head for a lot o’ years, and she’s coming wi’ me to Canada.’

There was a sudden gasp from both his parents, but like the stoic people they were they didn’t oppose the announcement. Mr Snowden got to his feet and first shook hands with Roland Tannerson and then proffered a chaste kiss on Florence’s cheek; then Billy stood up and bent to kiss his mother, giving her a hug, and moved away to allow Roland to take her hand and murmur that he would guard Lizzie with his love and his life. This must have had the right effect, for she suddenly had a mote in her eye and had to fish in her bag for a handkerchief to remove it.

Ellen decided that now was the time to make more tea and coffee and put out the cold meats, cheese and warm bread that she had made in her home oven, along with a fruit loaf, plain and fruit scones, and butter and jam for everyone to help themselves. They had almost finished when Filip and Anna and the children arrived as arranged, to meet Mr and Mrs Snowden.

‘By, tha’s a big lad!’ Mr Snowden proclaimed as Filip towered over him to shake his hand, and Filip looked about for someone to translate for him.

Roland obliged in his strongest Irish accent. ‘Well now, he said you’re a big feller to be sure,’ which left him even more confused, but he burst out into a great guffaw which set everyone else laughing.

When they had all finished eating and drinking, Ellen saw Billy glance at the clock; they had yet to show her mother and father the bakery. Billy would be wanting to move off home soon, although now that the days were longer there wasn’t quite the urgency that came in the winter months.

They came up with a compromise. Billy would drive his parents, Florence, Ellen and Anna to see the bakery, and then after waving them goodbye Ellen and Anna would walk back to the house where the rest of them waited.

The children lined up as their grandmother told them to, and Zophia, Jakub and Aron joined them too whilst she fished in her cavernous bag for paper bags full of sweets: barley drops, fudge, chocolate truffles and treacle toffee.