Mrs Russell nodded. "When would Ellie start?" she asked, handing a plate to her guest. Presumably she was concerned that the weekly wage not be missed. "Ellie, I'll tell yer father when he comes 'ome."

Christine shrugged. "Tomorrow. What day are you usually paid?" She asked Ellie. "I had planned on Mondays, but we can do it any time."

Ellie spoke up. "I've been paid on Fridays, Miss. But Mondays work fine." It wasn't like she was spending her pay on ale on a Friday night.

Christine nodded slowly. "Just feels like paying the day after church makes sense. You have an entire week to do what you want with it as soon as you get it. If it works. Wonderful. I can always give you an advance so your family doesn't miss any money they depend on."

There were nods around the room from the Russell women.

Christine nodded along with them. "Then there we go. I'll Pau you ahead. Make sure your previous employer pays you for the time you worked." She said to Ellie though she worried she wouldn't be able to. She took a bite of the pie and sighed happily. "It is quite good."

Ellie looked down sadly at her plate at Christine's mention of prior pay from Argyle Street. "They said terrible things to me when I left. 'ow I was a 'orrible person.. I'd be poor forever.. earnin' a livin' on me back. Whatever that means. I don't think, I'll see a shillin'"

Mrs Russell's nostrils flared in anger. "Well! The nerve.. don't worry, dear you were too good fer them anyway."

Christine shook her head and reached over to lightly pat her shoulder. "I'll pay you for the week on Friday as if you'd continued working for them. Alright? And a little extra, to remind you that you are better than that and deserve it. Just because they have the money to hire you doesn't mean they are any better of a person. And this proves it." She was actually agitated by that. "Who says such horrid things."

Ellie smiled softly at Christine's announcement of wages. Yet, her head was still stuck back for the moment in that memory on Argyle Street, her ears still listening to those shouted insults. Words as clear as if they had just been said.

Christine took notice as she ate another bite. "Do you think it's fair? They are probably so furious and panicking because no one wants to be their maid and you are here wearing lovely clothes and eating your mother's wonderful pie that they could only dream of."