‘Ivy told me you wished to see me?’

‘Yes, dear. Your grandfather has something he must tell you. Won’t you sit down?’ Her mother gestured to a chair identical to the one her grandfather favoured on the other side of the fireplace, and Holly perched on the edge of it, folding her hands primly in her lap.

For a second the old man narrowed his piercing blue eyes and stared at her before beginning, ‘The thing is, you’re eighteen years old now, so I’ve been thinking it’s high time you were married. I’ve kept you an’ your mother for long enough.’

Holly’s deep blue eyes stretched wide as she stared back at him; she was so shocked that for a moment she was speechless.

‘M-married?’ she stuttered eventually. ‘And do you have someone in mind, Grandfather?’

‘As it happens I do, an’ you’ll meet him tonight. He owns a big hat factory in Atherstone and he’s recently widowed with three young children who need a mother. I’ve invited him to dinner.’

Colour flooded into Holly’s cheeks as she stared steadily back at him. ‘And may I know the gentleman’s name?’

‘Dolby, Walter Dolby. That’s all you need to know for now, except that you’ll be set up for life with him; he ain’t short of a bob or two. So just make sure you mind your manners when he arrives and we’ll take it from there.’

Holly opened her mouth to protest but clamped it shut again as her mother gave her a warning glance.

‘Will that be all?’ She stood up, her straight back and rigid, her stance an indication of how angry and upset she was. It wasn’t lost on her grandfather and he leaned forward in his chair, his hands tightly gripping the arms.

‘Don’t look at me like that, girl,’ he barked, making Holly’s mother visibly start. ‘There’s many a man would have seen both you an’ your mother out on the streets, but I’ve kept you fed and clothed with a roof over your head for all these years.’

Holly merely inclined her head and, turning, left the room, closing the door softly behind her. In the hallway she almost collided with Ivy, who had clearly been listening at the door. Quickly straightening her mop cap, which was askew, the girl gave her a guilty smile and stepped aside. Normally Holly would have found it funny but today she was so angry and upset that she couldn’t even raise a smile. Life as she had known it was about to change forever, and it was completely out of her control. Brushing past her, she stalked to the stairs without giving Ivy so much as a second glance. She was halfway up when the drawing room door opened again and her mother chased after her.

‘I’ll talk to you in a minute,’ she hissed up the stairs. ‘He’s going back to the mill shortly and then we’ll be able to talk in private.’

Holly nodded and hurried on her way, too shocked to even answer. Once in the privacy of her room she let out a sigh and flopped down onto the side of her bed.