Ellen opened up the paper bag and took out the rounds of bread. ‘These are bread cakes. Some people call them rolls, but these aren’t rolls.’

‘They are shape of cake, yes, I understand, but are made of bread. That is good. Now you go upstairs, and I will feed children. Yes?’

‘Yes,’ Ellen said, thinking that although her children had eaten breakfast, perhaps Anna’s children hadn’t.

There was just one door on the top landing and Ellen knocked. ‘Is anyone there?’

A groan came from inside. ‘Door is open,’ a woman’s voice answered, so Ellen cautiously pushed it and put her head round. ‘Hello?’

There were two chairs, a double bed and a small bedside table with a jug and a cup on it, and a very small fire in the grate. ‘Hello?’ she said again. ‘Where are you?’

‘I am on the floor,’ a quavering voice answered her. ‘I fell out of bed.’

Ellen went inside. At first she couldn’t see anyone, but then she saw that what she had thought was a heap of clothes was an elderly woman propped up against the far side of the bed. She was shivering, even though she had a blanket wrapped round her that she must have pulled from the bed.

‘What happened to you?’ Ellen knelt beside her. ‘I’m Ellen Randell, your new neighbour from downstairs.’

‘I am so glad to see you, my dear.’ The woman clutched Ellen’s hand. ‘I am Mrs Johnson. I have been sitting here for long time. I reach for cup, but could not grasp it and overstretched. The table was not near enough.’

‘Do you think you’ve broken anything? Your leg, or your arm?’ Ellen wondered how she could lift her back into bed. ‘Where is your daughter?’

‘At work. She work at Flax and Cotton Mill. She will not be home for long time. What time is it?’

‘I’m not sure. Nearly midday, I think.’

‘I am so thirsty. Could you pass me some water, please?’ Mrs Johnson put up a thin blue-veined hand.

‘Of course.’ Ellen poured water into the cup and handed it to her. ‘Would you like a cup of tea if I bring one? I have a friend staying with me. I’ll ask her to help me lift you back into bed.’

‘Tea would be very nice, but I am a nuisance.’

‘You’re not a nuisance.’ Ellen took a pillow off the bed and put it behind the old lady’s back, and then wrapped another blanket round her. ‘I’ll make some tea and bring it up and think how we can get you back into bed. Are you able to walk at all? Usually, I mean?’

‘I can stand if someone steadies me, but I shall be all right now that I know that someone knows I am here; and please, tea without milk.’