Billy left shortly afterwards, saying he’d be back early the next morning. Harry cleaned the outside windows, front and back, and Ellen put together the food she had prepared before they left. The children were getting tired with all the excitement of the day and she had decided to feed them early and put them to bed; she wondered if they would sleep, as they were used to being in a separate bedroom, whereas now they were all in one room for living and sleeping.

She had put out the girls’ food and was about to feed Thomas with a little warmed broth and bread when there was a knock on their door; Harry went to answer it and Ellen heard him giving brief answers, then finally saying, ‘Sorry if we’ve bothered you.’

She looked at him questioningly. ‘Woman from upstairs,’ he said. ‘She wanted to know how many children we had and hoped they were well behaved, as she has a sick mother living with her who shouldn’t be disturbed.’

‘What kind of sickness?’ Ellen was alarmed. ‘I hope it isn’t anything catching.’

‘She didn’t say,’ he replied, and then grinned. ‘She was trying to look over my shoulder to see inside the room, but I blocked her.’

‘That’s not a good start, is it? Not very welcoming for someone who is sharing ’same house.’

‘Don’t let it bother you,’ he said. ‘Besides, ’bairns aren’t noisy.’

‘I might go up and introduce myself tomorrow,’ Ellen said. ‘I suppose it must be worrying when new neighbours come in, especially if she has a sick mother.’ She sighed, and thought that the woman might have waited a day or two before issuing her warning.

The next morning, Harry suggested that after breakfast they might take a short walk around the neighbourhood to acquaint themselves with the district, find local grocers’ shops and possibly a baker’s where Ellen could buy fresh bread, for there was no oven in the house, but she reminded him that Billy was coming to paint the yard and scullery.

‘Ten or fifteen minutes, then?’ he asked. ‘He won’t be this early and I’d rather we explored together than you wander about on your own. Just to begin with,’ he added. ‘I’m sure you’ll soon get your bearings.’

He was aware that it would all seem strange to her; like him she had lived all her life around Holmpton and played hide and seek in the woods at Rysome. There had been no danger except for falling over the cliffs into the sea, and all the children of Holderness were aware of the erosion and took extra care not to go too near the cracked and crumbling edge, although some of the more adventurous boys, like Harry himself, had dared each other to get close.