Kate shook her red curls. ‘No, Grandad,’ her little voice piped and she put out her hand and gently stroked the silky waves of his beard. ‘It’s lovely.’

‘Kate,’ Esther admonished her daughter swiftly, ‘you call this gentleman “Mr Maine”. He’s Walter’s grandad, not yours.’

‘She can call me grandad if she wants,’ the old man laughed. ‘Lots of folks do – even though I ain’t their grandad – just ’cos I’m as old as Methuselah.’

‘Who’s Methoosy?’

At that moment, Danny interrupted Kate’s question and, grabbing her hand, pulled her away into the game of tag.

‘You’ve a lovely bairn there, missus.’ Old Mr Maine’s bright eyes followed the child skipping and hopping amongst the rest.

‘She is that,’ murmured Will who, standing next to Esther, had heard the exchange of conversation. His eyes were thoughtful as he watched Kate.

Mid afternoon the bride and groom took their leave, riding into town in Esther’s pony and trap to their new home above the smithy.

‘’Tis kind of you, Mrs Hilton, to lend us the trap,’ Walter said in his low, soft voice. ‘I’ll see you get it back in the morning.’

Esther put out her hand to shake the young man’s. ‘Don’t worry. So long as the pony is fed, I dun’t mind if you keep it a day or two. Perhaps you could take Enid out tomorrow.’

The young man nodded. ‘Aye, well, if you’re sure. It’d be nice, being Sunday, but I’m back at me work on Monday.’

He smiled and his blue eyes crinkled, reminding her so keenly of Jonathan that her heart turned over. She squeezed his hand in hers and there was a catch in her voice as she said, ‘Good luck to you, Walter. To you both.’

The bride and groom were waved off and the other guests began to drift away. Esther looked around for Will and saw he was in earnest conversation with Ma, who was nodding and smiling. To Esther’s astonishment, she saw Will plant a kiss on Ma’s cheek and then Ma laughed aloud and smacked him playfully on his arm. ‘Get away with you, Will Benson, and do what you have to do.’

They turned and saw Esther coming towards them and for a moment she thought they looked a little sheepish, for they glanced at each other and then quickly away again. Coming to meet Esther, Will said, ‘I’d best be on me way, lass.’

‘Oh, Will, you dun’t have to go yet, d’ya? It’s only early and I’ve a bite of tea ready for you at home afore you set off back.’