May chose one with pink icing. It was good, but not quite as good as the chocolate one.

As she ate, Mrs Kelly said, ‘Tell me something. You will be leaving the workhouse soon. Has anyone said anything about where you will be sent?’

May told her about her interview with the governor. ‘He said a Mrs Wilmot wanted a girl at some big house, but Miss Bale said I wouldn’t be suitable.’

‘Why not?’

‘She said I’d spend all my time drawing instead of getting on with my work. But I wouldn’t …’ May found herself protesting angrily. ‘I’ve always done my work first.’

‘I’m sure you have,’ Mrs Kelly responded soothingly. ‘Mrs Wilmot, eh? That would be Speke Hall then. Well, don’t be too downhearted. I think you may have had a lucky escape.’

May blinked. ‘Why, ma’am?’

‘Girls think that being in a great house would be exciting, but I can promise you it isn’t. A house like that has a huge staff. There’s a housekeeper and a butler, and a head parlourmaid and at least one lady’s maid and under parlourmaids and nursery maids and laundry maids, not to mention footmen and boot boys and the rest. You would have been the lowest of the low, at everyone’s beck and call. No, you would be far better off in a small household, where at least your employer would recognise your face.’

‘Mrs Evans told us that ladies and gentlemen don’t want to know we are even there. If we were to meet one of them on the stairs we should turn our faces to the wall, so they wouldn’t have to see us.’