Rose chuckled. "Be warned," she joked, but she grew more serious when Joe spoke of his mother. Rose had always known her as 'Joe's mum', but she had been friends with her own. After her own mother died, Rose had seen less of her, what with all that was going on in her family, and then her own stay in York. "That's thoughtful of her," she said as she Rose and took Joe's cup. "Please extend the invitation to 'er. I 'aven't seen her for so long. 'T would be good to see her."

Just then, the door opened and a strongly built man, with a brown beard turning grey stepped in, followed by a red-headed boy of about thirteen. The man's eyes landed on Joe, then flashed to his daughters, and then turned back to Joe. "Who are you?"