And then there was Anna’s baby. Filip hammered on the cottage door at five in the morning during the first week of the new year to say they had God’s gift of a daughter; they welcomed him in and this giant of a man broke down in tears and said how happy they were and kissed both Ellen and Harry on each cheek and hugged all the sleepy children that he had wakened.

In the first week of March, as the first green buds began to show on the stalwart trees alongside the river bank, the opening of the new mill took place. On the first day of production workers and their families crowded outside the gates while dignitaries from the corporation waited in the mill yard with some of the other mill owners who although competitors had been willing to give a helping hand during the disastrous explosion. At ten o’clock exactly, Kirkwood appeared at the mill doors with Tannerson, Lizzie and Harry by his side, and with a look of pride gave the thumbs up to Tannerson. The rumble and reverberation of conveyors beginning to roll echoed from the mill, and a rousing cheer was heard down the length of Wincomlee.

The sign was high at the top of the factory wall. Tannerson and Partner was painted in clean white letters on the red brick; they’d brought the children to witness this momentous day and Harry pointed out the sign to them. He put his arm round Ellen’s shoulders. ‘One day,’ he murmured, ‘there’ll be an s at the end of Partner.’

Ellen looked at him curiously. ‘Lizzie is the partner,’ she said.

‘Aye, but Tannerson has said, and Lizzie agreed, that one day they’ll need others on ’board of directors. Not yet – it’s too soon, and too much has happened in such a short time to make any decisions – but this is going to be a successful growing company, and who knows what or who might be coming next? Lizzie might produce a board of directors of their own. But in ’meantime …’

Ellen smiled and they all held hands as they went to collect their new trap, a larger one than the other, which was just as well, she thought, for they would soon be needing extra space. Harry glanced at her; he’d said that he always knew when she had a secret to tell him, and she guessed that he was gleaning the news now. Sarah wasn’t the only one with second sight. ‘Let’s go home, Harry. Tomorrow is another day,’