‘Oh, he was, was he?’ Though she sounded annoyed, Bridget was secretly pleased. Harry had always said she’d do well, and now that she had, he was obviously proud of her. ‘Fay is right,’ she muttered. ‘Harry is a special man, and maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on him.’

‘He said he needed to talk to Joe about work.’

‘What kind of work?’

‘Dunno.’

‘All right, sweetheart. Thank you.’ She wondered if Harry had material he wanted to sell, or maybe he needed something Joe could get, and he couldn’t.

‘I’ve kept an eye out for her all the while you were gone.’ Aggie’s face peered in from the adjoining stall. ‘She’s been a good lass. No trouble at all.’

Bridget thanked her. ‘I’m sorry I was gone longer than I hoped, but I helped a young woman who’d been attacked.’

There followed a host of questions which Bridget answered with few details so as not to reveal Fay’s identity.

‘Things is getting from bad to worse,’ Aggie complained. ‘It’s coming to summat when a woman can’t walk the streets in peace.’

When Bridget was left alone with her thoughts again, she was unable to get Harry out of her mind. ‘Oh, Harry!’ she murmured. ‘Every time I think of what we did, I’m drowned in shame. The truth is, what happened between us, and then afterwards with Tom, was more my fault than yours.’

‘Talking to yourself is a sign of insanity, so they say.’

Startled, Bridget turned to see Bob standing there. She felt the blood rise to her face. ‘Just working out how much I’ve taken this morning,’ she lied.

‘Well, here’s more for you to sell.’ He had two rolls of material over his shoulders. With a heave he dropped them on to the stall, but not before he noticed how Ruthie shrank away on seeing him.

‘It’s good of you to help out, Bob.’

‘Only ’cause I love you.’ He winked. ‘Now then, I’ll be late coming over tonight,’ he said. ‘When I’ve finished here, I need to make tracks to Meaker’s Farm – he owes me money and if it’s left for too long it’s one hell of a job getting it out of him, the old bugger!’ He emptied his pockets of small brown sacks of buttons and sewing cotton, and parcels of lace. ‘Well, I must say, you don’t seem very pleased to see me.’ Grinning, he took Bridget in his arms and kissed her.

‘I’m sorry,’ she apologised. ‘I didn’t expect you so early, that’s all. And about tonight. It won’t matter because I’ve decided to have an early night. I’m tired out.’ Harry was still on her mind, and somehow Bob didn’t measure up.

‘I can leave the farm for another time if you’d rather.’

‘No, Bob. It’s all right, honestly. You go and collect your money tonight, and I’ll cook you dinner tomorrow. How about that?’

He was obviously not pleased. ‘If you say so.’

‘Have you half an hour to spare?’ Bridget thought she might take advantage of him being there; she had taken one favour from Aggie and it wouldn’t be fair to ask another.