"Aye, I will be. Father said t' same. But I ain't no fool. Not after what happened to poor Alice..." She bit her lip as she remembered how desperate her sister had been, what lengths she had gone to to try and cover it up. There was more. The Earl was a drunk, it seemed. But Anne dared not share it now. If Mrs. Blacke was already worried for her now, she might tell her not to work there and tell father if Anne gave her the full truth.

"Tea sounds lovely, but I haven't the time. I have to get a dress for t' uniform... actually, I wanted your advise..." Attention.