Sunday nodded. It was still hard for her to accept that someone else was living in the home where she and Tom had known such happiness, and harder still to think of someone else running the business that Tom had so painstakingly built up, but then she had to grudgingly admit that at least Mr Willerby seemed very kind and friendly. The solicitor had brought her good news as well. It seemed that following the sale of the house, all the debts had been paid and there was still a tidy sum left over, which would at least alleviate any immediate financial worries.

‘So, all in all I reckon things are lookin’ up again,’ Cissie said optimistically as she drained her cup. Then as something else occurred to her she frowned. ‘Though I’ve noticed Kathy ain’t been lookin’ too grand lately,’ she commented.

Sunday nodded in agreement as she poured her friend out another cup of coffee. ‘I’ve noticed too,’ she admitted worriedly. ‘She’s right off her food and I’m sure she’s lost a bit of weight, but then it’s hardly surprising really, is it? She was so close to Ben and with everything that’s happened it’s no wonder she’s looking peaky.’

As she pushed the cup across the table Cissie scowled as she began to spoon in sugar. ‘Hm, yer probably right but I’d keep an eye on her all the same, if I were you. Perhaps suggest she gets herself off to the doctor’s fer a check-up?’

‘I’ll give her another few days for everything to settle down and then if she looks no better, I will,’ Sunday promised, and the two women lapsed into silence as they enjoyed the rest of their break.

‘Aw well, I have to say today’s gone far better than I thought it would,’ George admitted that evening when he joined Cissie in their cottage after he had finished work. ‘Mr Willerby seems a nice enough chap an’ Billy Harper, the young groom he’s employed, is a pleasure to work wi’. He ain’t got that much experience of workin’ with horses as yet but he’s keen as mustard to learn an’ that’s everythin’.’

‘Then as I said to Sunday things might be lookin’ up fer everybody now, wi’ a bit o’ luck.’ Cissie carried a large steak and kidney pie to the table and paused to say, ‘I’d still like to get me hands on Ben though! I swear I’d throttle him wi’ me bare hands if I could!’