Bill ate a little as she spoke. He would usually eat fish and chips with his hands. It was much easier. But for the young lady present, he tried to tackle the meal with a fork. He frowned when she talked of her father having been a 'pauper' but let her speak.

"Neither of ye will be 'paupers', lassie. We wouldn't let ye go hungry or deprive ye of a roof over yer head so long as Joe can't provide for ye yet. But as for yerself, ye might 'ave bairns soon." The kind of things he did not want to think too hard about. "That would make it 'arder to bring in money. And ye shouldn't 'ave to. Not if Joe finds a steady job." Which he still wished the lad had sought before marrying her.