He shrugged. ‘Well, it weren’t entirely unexpected. She’d been ill for a long time, as you know. The trouble is, I used up what money we had to pay for the funeral so I won’t be able to pay the rent on the rooms an’ I’ll be on the streets.’

‘It doesn’t matter if it was expected or not, she was still your mum,’ Ruby said sympathetically. At least on that subject she could talk knowledgeably, having so recently lost her own mother, and although she didn’t know Bill that well, she found him surprisingly easy to talk to. ‘Come in and I’ll let Miss Wood know that you’re here. I think she was beginning to think you didn’t want the post but I’m sure she’ll understand why you didn’t come before when you tell her what’s happened. Oh, and it will be so nice to have you here if you do get the job!’

The minute they entered the kitchen and Ruby introduced Bill, the kindly woman ushered him to the table and served him with a large slab of fruit cake and a mug of steaming tea while Ruby hurried off to find Miss Wood.

An hour later, after Miss Wood had spoken to Bill privately in her room, they both came back into the kitchen and Ruby could tell it was good news by the look on Bill’s face.

‘Bill will be moving into Robert’s old room above the stables this evening,’ she told them. ‘He has agreed to a month’s trial starting tomorrow, so he’s going to go now and fetch his things back here. You’d better allow a bit extra for a new member of staff at this evening’s meal, Mrs Baxter.’

‘I certainly will,’ Cook said, smiling broadly. The poor lad looked like he could do with feeding up. He wasn’t as far through as a clothes prop, bless him, and she’d taken an instant liking to him.

‘Why don’t you go with him to help, Ruby?’ Miss Wood suggested and Ruby was instantly worried.

‘B-but what about Miss Miranda? She’s having a piano lesson at the moment but if I’m not there when it’s finished she’ll—’

Miss Wood held her hand up to stop her flow of words. ‘Don’t you get worrying about the miss. Leave that with me.’

And so Ruby and Bill set off with Bill looking considerably happier and more than a little relieved.

‘Thanks for thinkin’ o’ me, Ruby,’ he said as they marched along the pavements in the March sunshine.

She grinned. ‘It was my pleasure and I’m sure you’ll like working there. Most of them are really nice.’

‘Most of them?’ he gave her a quizzical look.