Sally lifted Polly and her teddy out of the high chair and set them on the floor to play, then cleared away the dish that was now scraped clean of rice pudding, kissed her mother and the babies, tied on her lace-ups, grabbed an umbrella from by the door and pulled the door to behind her and Ellen, abruptly shutting off the noise.

She paused to enjoy the moment. ‘I love ’em to bits but, oh, it’s nice when the row they make stops,’ she laughed.

Ellen and Sally set off along the village main street, turned down a lane that cut off a big corner from the journey by road, then skirted some hilly fields via a series of stiles, keeping close to the dry-stone walls.

Sally asked how Ellen was getting on at the Hall and Ellen told her how the rose garden was recovering from the rainstorm and that her Uncle Tom had given her responsibility for looking after it. Then they talked about who had been in the shop and what news Sally had learned from the customers this week.

‘Gina’s getting very grand, isn’t she, ordering in by telephone for Mrs Stellion?’

Ellen laughed. ‘Aye, she seems to have got the hang of using the telephone and taking over from Mrs Thwaite. I don’t know how she’s learned to do it but she has.’

‘Mr Fowler isn’t keen to deal with Gina after … you know,’ Sally lowered her voice, though there was no one around to hear her, ‘that business with the money, but of course he wants to keep the Stellions as customers and it’s Gina who does the ordering in. I don’t mind taking the orders from her. If Gina’s turned over a new leaf, surely it’s a good thing and nowt to be bearing a grudge about. Good luck to her, I say.’

‘Well, I can understand Mr Fowler’s point of view a bit,’ said Ellen. ‘Still, it’s a huge relief to see Gina getting on at the Hall. I admit it’s a welcome surprise.’

‘Between you and me, I don’t think it’s a difficult job, Nell,’ Sally said. ‘I heard from Mrs Bassett that Mrs Stellion doesn’t really need a housekeeper at all, with there being only the two of them living there now, and Mrs Bassett cooking their meals and your mum keeping the house nice. Mrs S only keeps on Mrs Thwaite because she’s been there for years and wants to continue working.’

‘Then why would she replace her with Gina, even though it’s only temporary? Surely she’d have no one if she could do without.’