Harry smiled grimly. ‘I hope we’ll be out of here afore then. And to something better.’

Ellen looked round the room. It all looked very comfortable: the fire was glowing, the two girls were playing on the clipped rug she had brought from Rysome and Thomas was lying on his stomach on one of the beds, playing some game of his own; perhaps when we do leave for somewhere else, she thought, we might be sorry to go, but at least we’ll be leaving it in a better condition than when we arrived.

At dinner time, Billy and his mother waved goodbye as they set off back to Holderness. ‘I’ll write,’ Ellen promised as Billy lightly tapped the whip on the horse’s back. ‘Take care, Billy. Give our love to everybody, Ma, and to Harry’s ma too.’

She felt choked as she and Harry stood on the step and watched the wagon drive away. He put his arm around her. ‘Come on, love. Shall I scrub some taties and put them in ’fire to bake? Turnip should be nearly cooked by now, and we’ll have a splendid feast wi’ that chicken, eh?’

Ellen took a deep breath. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Let’s do that. We’ll celebrate being in our new home.’

He gently squeezed her. ‘That’s my girl.’

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The next morning Harry was up at five o’clock to be sure of being early into work. Ellen built up the fire and fried him eggs for breakfast, and packed him up some slices of chicken, crusty bread and a bottle of tea. He was only ten minutes from the mill and regarded that as a bonus. He gave her a kiss but didn’t disturb the children, as they were still sleeping, Sarah and Mary in one bed and Thomas in theirs. They had all slept well.