Maggie was amazed that anyone who clearly had so little could be so cheery, and yet the woman was obviously happy with her lot, and the love she felt for her family shone out for all to see. Clemency was a tiny little thing, as thin as a rake, in fact, with greying hair, but her blue eyes brimmed with laughter and Maggie guessed that she must have been a beauty in her time. Sadly, hard work and the births of numerous children had made her old before her time.

Maggie did what she could to help and eventually Mrs Partridge told one of the younger girls, ‘Nellie, take Miss Maggie up to your room. She’ll be sleepin’ in wiv you lot tonight, so don’t get chatterin’ and gigglin’ an’ keepin’ her awake ’alf the night now, do yer hear me?’

‘Yes, Mum.’ Nellie led Maggie upstairs, and when she showed her where they were to sleep Maggie’s eyes widened with shock. There were two iron-framed double beds side by side, with hardly an inch between them.

‘You can sleep in whichever yer choose,’ Nellie told her generously. ‘An’ if yer get in now, yer can sleep on the edge before the others all come up. It’s worse if yer squashed in the middle, though it ain’t so bad in the winter ’cos the middle bit is the warmest then, see?’

Maggie gulped then managed a smile as Nellie skipped out of the room. She had no nightclothes so she quickly removed her dress, deciding that she would just have to sleep in her petticoat. She then looked around for somewhere to put it but every inch of space was taken up with the beds so eventually she just laid the dress on the floor, then she hastily used the chamber pot and got into bed. Tears leaked out of her eyes and slid down her cheeks as she thought of her predicament. But at least there would be no chance of the Daweses finding her here. Even so, she was sure that she would never be able to sleep. The flock mattress was lumpy, the springs dug in, and the blankets were scratchy, but surprisingly swiftly, exhaustion claimed her and her eyes closed.

‘Sorry to disturb you so early, miss, but these were just delivered an’ the lad who brought ’em is at the door askin’ if there’s a reply.’

Kitty blinked awake and was shocked to see Mabel standing there clutching a beautiful bouquet of pink tulips, wrapped in a pink satin bow. A little card was tucked in amongst the blooms and after plucking it out Kitty quickly read it.

Dearest Kitty, could you bring yourself to dine with me this evening? If the answer is yes I’ll pick you up at seven, Yours, Richard xxx

Kitty was suddenly wide awake. ‘Tell the boy to wait while I just scribble a quick reply, would you, Mabel? Oh, and do you think you could put those in water for me, please?’