"I'll go put on my Sunday best," Kate announced and she rushed into her room and began to change. She had never been so eager to apologize, especially to someone as frightening as Mr. Ward. But then again, she was rather excited to play her role in this secret plot to help Anne.

It was good that her daughter was eager to help her friend. She hoped the ruse would allow the two of them to spend more time with Anne; a girl in dire need to friends and a caring family. Ben Ward was an idiot, but he wasn't as dumb as a salmon.

"Don't you look innocent," Lottie announced at the reappearance of her daughter in her finest dress. With her soft features and wide eyes, she was the picture of angelic innocence. "I'd forgive ye"

"Aye mam, but yer not Mr. Ward," said Kate, who began to feel nervous now. "Do ye 'ave a note to Anne? I hope I shall be able to pass it to 'er."

She hoped she would return alive.

"Oh!"  Lottie said.  "No. Can ye write it down fer me?" Lottie asked. As a girl, Lottie had missed out learning her letters and still stumbled with the words of bible as an older woman. As a girl who would one day be a teacher, Kate had broken the cycle of ignorance. Another reason for Lottie to proud of her youngest.  Surely she wouldn't mind putting pen to paper.

"Can ye say 'Anne,  please come an' visit. Don't be afraid. from Mrs Blacke and Kate.'?" Lottie wanted to add an expression of affection for the desperate young Anne, but Lottie's affection could wait until that poor dear was in this house again.

Kate rushed back to her room, ripped a page out of her notebook and wrote it down. "Oh, mam, can ye close me ink jar. I'll be on me way," she said, rushing out of the room once more. "I'll be back as soon as possible!" she said, as she ran down the stair, and in thought she added: send help if I don't return soon.

The clang of the closing front door reverberated throughout the tiny terraced house, the few pictures hanging even flinched on their nails. Now alone, seated - Bill was down the local - Lottie closed her eyes and bowed her head slightly.

"God," she whispered "Protect my girls."

The Almighty saw everything and heard all pleas. He would understand and take care of them.

Kate returned home about half an hour later. By that time her father had returned home and was singing 'The Whitby Lad' while taking a bath in the kitchen. Kate passed the closed door and entered the sitting room. "Mam?"

"Oh, Kate!" Lottie jumped up from her chair by the front window. She had kept vigil, peeking out from behind the thin curtains. They weren't lace, but all the same.

"Let's leave yer father to his bubbles, come into the hall an' tell me 'ow it went in the Cragg."

Kate followed her mother to the hall. There she spoke in a hushed voice. She didn't want her father to overhear for the had the feeling that this was a secret between mother and daughter. She also didn't want her father to find out she had spoken rudely to Ben Ward in the first place. "'E said 'e forgives me and he was too quick in anger. And Anne and I can play again if I promise to behave an' not show 'er a bad example, but she can't come to our house... And I didn't manage to give 'er the note. But now that we can be friends again, I can tell 'er later."

"Well, I'm glad that's on the mend. You girl's shouldn't suffer because of-" she broke off, trying to find the right phase to use.  She wanted to say that fool.., but etiquette or perhaps charity, got the better of her "the temper of Ben Ward.  Be sure an' tell Anne the next time ye see 'er that she is always welcome at this 'ouse."