‘I am truly sorry.’ He held out his hand. ‘I was also at fault. You must allow me to reimburse you for the groceries.’

Sally looked down at the shattered eggs and even if she had wanted to rescue the pies, she was too late. Two half-feral dogs sprang from nowhere and pounced on the food, growling ferociously as they vanished into the shadows with their bounty. She had eaten very little that day and the temptation to accept his offer was overwhelming.

‘Thank you,’ she said reluctantly. ‘It cost me elevenpence ha’penny.’

He put his hand in his pocket and took out a handful of small change. ‘Here’s a shilling, with my apologies.’

She took the halfpenny from her purse and exchanged it for the shiny silver coin. ‘Normally I wouldn’t accept,’ she said gruffly. ‘But as it happens I’m a bit short of the readies at the moment, so thanks again.’ She turned away in case he changed his mind and she hurried back to the shop to repeat her order to a surprised Mr Jarvis.

‘You’ve taken your time.’ Ted looked up from the crumpled newspaper he had been attempting to read by the light of a candle stub and the glow from the coal fire. ‘I’m starving. What kept you?’

Sally placed her basket on the table and unpacked the contents. ‘I had a slight mishap on the way home from old Jarvis’s shop, so I had to go back and get two more pies and a couple of eggs.’ She took out a small cob loaf. ‘And he must have felt sorry for me because he threw in the bread for nuppence.’

‘It’s probably stale then. Frank Jarvis never gives anything away, the old skinflint.’ Ted smoothed the creased newspaper, peering short-sightedly at the print. ‘One day I’ll make enough money to buy a paper every day, instead of reading what other folks have thrown out.’

‘Yes, that would be nice, Pa.’ Sally took off her sodden jacket and cap, shaking out her long, dark hair.

Ted eyed her curiously. ‘You still haven’t told me what happened between here and Jarvis’s shop.’

‘It was snowing so hard that we didn’t see each other until it was too late and he nearly knocked me over – well, to be fair I wasn’t looking either. Anyway, the food went flying and landed on the pavement, and then, to cap it all, a couple of stray dogs wolfed the pies.’

‘But you wasn’t hurt, love?’

‘Only my pride, Pa. And the fellow paid up, so I went back to the shop and we have supper after all.’

‘You was lucky to meet a gentleman, that’s all I can say. There’s many who wouldn’t be so generous.’

Sally took two plates from the dresser that her father had constructed from an old chest of drawers and some wooden shelving. ‘Here you are. Enjoy the pie and I’ll put the kettle on.’

‘You’re a good girl, Sal. I don’t know what I’d do without you.’