‘I’m told the dress was a great success, much admired by the other ladies. Well done!’

‘Thank you, sir.’

He put his hand in his pocket and produced some coins. He held one up.

‘Do you know what this is?’

‘No, sir.’

‘It’s a sovereign. It is worth one pound, or twenty shillings. What about this one?’

‘No, sir.’

‘It is a half sovereign, worth ten shillings. If I add two more, that makes a total of …?

‘Fifty shillings, sir.’ Why was he testing her on her arithmetic?

‘Now, I have been making some enquiries and I am told that the usual wage for a girl in your position, after deductions for board and lodging, is six pounds per annum. That works out, if I am not mistaken, at ten shillings per month. You have been with us now for five months, so that adds up to …?

‘Fifty shillings, sir.’

‘Precisely. So here you are.’ He held out the coins.

May gazed at them, making no attempt to take them.

‘Come along, don’t be afraid. These are for you.’

She raised her eyes to his face. ‘What … what should I do with them, sir?’

‘What? Well, for a start you should put them away in a safe place. Then, well, why don’t you buy yourself a nice cape to wear instead of that old shawl, and a pretty bonnet?’

‘When would I do that, sir?’

‘Why, when you go shopping.’

She searched his face. He might belong to a different order of beings, for all he understood of her life. ‘I don’t go shopping, sir.’

A frown crossed his brow and she saw again that pained, puzzled look. ‘Well, perhaps you should, sometime soon. Meanwhile, take the money and look after it. It’s yours, honestly earned, and there will be ten shillings every month from now on.’

May took the coins and slipped them into the pocket of her apron. ‘Thank you, sir. Can I clear away now, please?’

‘Yes, yes. Carry on as usual.’

Back in the kitchen May said nothing to Mrs Wilkins. As soon as she could, she went to her room and hid the money beside the bar of lavender soap in her box. In bed that night she lay awake for a few minutes, thinking about it. When she was a child, a penny had been a fortune. Now she owned … twelve times fifty – six hundred of them. Could she really walk into a shop, a shop like Mr Freeman’s, and buy things. He had said so, but when could she do it? The only time she left the house was on Sunday mornings for church and the shops were shut then. She closed her eyes and put the thought out of her head.

Next day Mrs Wilkins was summoned to speak to her mistress and returned with a grim expression that made May fear the worst.