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they would not be overheard. ‘Would you be willing to take on more responsibility?’
    Helen’s bright eyes twinkled cheekily at her. ‘Depends.’
    Catching her meaning, Eveleen smiled and said playfully, ‘Of course we would think of a fancy title to suit your new status.’
    She paused, deliberately teasing Helen, who laughed merrily knowing full well she was being led on. ‘A fancy title doesn’t pay the rent, Evie.’
    They laughed together. ‘Of course, there would be a pay rise for you too.’
    ‘Ah well, now you’re talking. What exactly would all this extra work involve?’
    Eveleen’s eyes clouded. ‘I think I might be overdoing it. If I’m honest, I do get very tired by the end of each week and perhaps . . .’ The two friends stared at each
other and Helen, understanding at once, said softly, ‘You think it could be stopping you conceiving?’
    Helen was one of the only two women in whom Eveleen had confided her great sorrow at not being able to give Richard the heir she knew he wanted. Despite his constant loving reassurance, Eveleen
knew that, deep down, he longed for children. And his father, Brinsley Stokes, made no secret of the fact. ‘When are you going to make me a grandfather?’ he had asked regularly during
the first years of their marriage. But now, after ten years, even he had stopped asking.
    In answer to Helen’s delicate question, Eveleen nodded and pressed her lips together to prevent them quivering. The latest disappointment, only this morning, was still fresh in her
mind.
    ‘Have you talked about this to your mother?’
    Eveleen pulled a face. ‘My mother’s not the sort of person I can confide in. She’s so wrapped up in her life with Josh.’
    ‘What about Win, then?’
    Win Martin, Eveleen’s only other confidante, had been the very first person Eveleen had encountered on her arrival in the city. Win had not only advised her about obtaining employment, but
had also found a house for Eveleen, her mother, brother and her pregnant cousin, Rebecca. Living in the same street for several months, Win had been a tower of strength to the young Eveleen, who,
through the tragic circumstances of her father’s sudden death, had found herself responsible for her family. Win was also the one to whom all the inhabitants of Foundry Yard turned in times
of trouble. Birth or death or illness, Win Martin was ready to help.
    ‘Not recently,’ Eveleen answered Helen, ‘but I’m seeing her later this morning. I might have a talk with her then.’
    ‘I think you should,’ Helen said, forthright as ever. ‘What Win Martin doesn’t know about babies isn’t worth knowing.’
    There was a silence between them until Helen prompted, ‘So what would you want me to do?’
    ‘Well, I wondered if you’d take over the management of all the middlewomen. It means a lot of walking, visiting them in their homes.’
    Throughout the city women were employed as homeworkers for the lace industry. In each area a middlewoman collected the lace from the factory and distributed the work to the homeworkers living
nearby. Eveleen had taken it upon herself to be the one to visit the middlewomen who worked for Reckitt and Stokes regularly and to help them with any problems they might have.
    Helen beamed. ‘I wouldn’t mind that. It’d be a nice change from being cooped up in here all day.’ Her eyes twinkled merrily. ‘And all the walking’d keep me
slim. But what about this place?’
    ‘I’d still want you to be overall supervisor of the inspection room, but perhaps we could promote someone to be your deputy when you were out. Can you recommend anyone?’
    Helen’s thoughtful glance roamed over the heads of the women and girls in her charge. ‘Well, there’s one or two who might be all right. Do you mind if I think about it for a
day or two?’
    ‘Of course not. There’s no immediate hurry. It’s not as if,’ she added sorrowfully, ‘I am already pregnant and have been advised to