The elderly lady sighed. ‘You are a good woman,’ she murmured. ‘A true friend in need.’

‘No,’ Ellen demurred. ‘I’m onny doing what any decent folk would do. Shall I put ’kettle on again? Though ’coffee might be weak as there’s not much left. Our Polish friends like coffee and have said they’ll top up ’supplies when they next call to see us.’

‘We have coffee,’ Mrs Johnson began. ‘Edyta …’ But Edyta was already on her way upstairs, and came down a few minutes later, bringing a tin of coffee grains which she handed to Ellen before disappearing upstairs again. When she reappeared she was carrying a bucket of coal and several pieces of wood.

Ellen watched as the other woman replenished the fire and stacked the wood at the side of the hearth. It’s good wood, Ellen thought. Almost too good to burn; it’s not kindling. And then she remembered that Edyta had said that Karl, her would-be husband, was a carpenter and guessed that he had supplied it. So she still sees him, she thought, and he must be aware of where and how she lives. Does he bring the coal? Edyta couldn’t carry it far herself and I haven’t seen a coal wagon outside.

The practicalities of living in an upstairs room filled her head. He, Karl, is still a contender for Edyta’s heart, she thought. She’s not simply using him as a supplier of the necessities of life, for he would have worked that out for himself by now and left. He comes because he has hope.

Ellen told Edyta and her mother that if they wished, Mrs Johnson could stay by her fire if Edyta wanted to go to work; she had missed the morning shift and would lose wages but would be paid for the afternoon if she went in now.

Edyta considered it. ‘I can be home again by six o’clock; would that be all right? You may keep the coal and the wood. We are very grateful for your – kindness,’ she added in a low voice.

With the extra coal and wood I could build up the fire, Ellen thought, so the soup will be cooked by the time Harry comes home. How lovely for him to come back to a warm room and a hot meal. Keeping warm and providing food were such an essential part of life; they were both necessities and luxuries.

She realized too that it had taken a huge effort on Edyta’s part to ask for help, not only from a stranger but from someone with different beliefs; well, she thought, if she is to take the next step to achieve what she really desires then she has surmounted the first challenge. I hope she finds that the next isn’t as difficult as she fears.