Miss Wood entered the room at that moment and she too was pleased to see Ruby up and about again. Since the mistress had left, things in the house had relaxed drastically and now all the staff called each other by their Christian names.

‘I was just sayin’, Serena, that Ruby will have to come an’ see us when she moves on,’ Betty said.

Serena nodded in agreement. ‘She certainly will.’ She had grown very close to Ruby while she’d been ill and she would be sorry to see her go. ‘I was talking to the doctor before he left and he suggested sometime next week might be suitable, when your leg has had time to strengthen up a little. Would that suit you, Ruby?’

Ruby nodded, thinking how kind they had all been to her, especially since she’d broken her leg. She thought wistfully of the few occasions when Bill had carried her down to the kitchen; she’d felt so safe in his strong arms, and though she’d miss them all, she couldn’t deny that perhaps she’d miss Bill most of all.

*

The week seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye and suddenly it was time for Ruby to begin her new job. Bill would be driving Ruby, Miss Wood and Mr Pembroke to the train station in the carriage, but first she had to say her goodbyes.

‘You look after yourself now, do you hear me?’ Cook told her as she folded her in her ample arms. ‘An’ don’t forget we’re always here if you need us, bab.’

One by one Ruby said goodbye to the rest of the staff ending with Betty and then she followed Miss Wood and Mr Pembroke outside to where Bill had the carriage waiting for her. She had said goodbye to Maddie and Nell the day before and now she was feeling tearful.

‘It’ll be all right.’ Miss Wood squeezed her hand as they settled back against the leather squabs and the carriage set off.

The train station was buzzing with people as Bill hopped down from the driver’s seat to say his goodbyes before they caught the train. ‘You just take good care o’ yourself now, little ’un, do you hear me?’

She nodded numbly as she swallowed the large lump that had formed in her throat and, conscious that the elders were watching them, she resisted the urge to throw her arms around him. Oblivious to her thoughts, Bill climbed back onto the carriage and urged the horses on. In no time at all they were on the train. Ruby watched from the window and the bustling streets of Birmingham were soon left far behind them.

When they arrived in Bedworth, Mr Pembroke hailed a hackney cab and after giving them his aunt’s address they were off again.