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carried the pile of pudding plates downstairs to the scullery.
    ‘Here Jane, the last lot o’ dishes.’
    Her sister looked round from a large stone sink of soapy water and sighed. ‘Why do yon folk need so many courses? Surely a plate o’ soup, some mince then a wee puddin’d dae fine?’
    Elizabeth smiled and shook her head.
    ‘The mistress fair wanted to impress those jute barons tonight.’
    Jane continued her scrubbing. ‘Aye, well, they’ve no’ been up since five in the morning like us.’ She yawned. ‘Whit was yon main course again?’
    Elizabeth went into the pantry and brought out the ashet of meat. She removed the muslin cloth, pulled off a piece of meat and fed it to her sister whose hands were still deep in water.
    ‘Braised leg o’ mutton. Though she had some daft fancy French name for it. But the thing is, it’s meant to cook for aboot four hours wi’ vegetables an a’ sorts to mak’ it tender, but she was in such a state after wee Mary’s accident, she started it too late.’
    ‘Is the wee one all right now?’ Jane mumbled, her mouth full.
    ‘Fine, just took a tumble doon a couple o’ stairs.’
    Jane was still chewing the meat. ‘Aye, it’s tasty, but a bit tough,’ Jane said. ‘I’d rather hae a mutton pie.’
    ‘An’ the mistress still willnae trust me wi’ a big joint o’ meat, even though I did a’ that stuff at the Patullos’ when cook Jessie was off ill for months.’
    Jane nodded at the cloths hanging above the range. ‘Gie’s a hand wi’ the drying, would you?’
    Elizabeth pulled down a cloth from the pulley and reached for a plate. Her sister plunged one hand down so it was elbow deep in soapy water and pulled out the plug. ‘I’ve just got tae shine up the copper pans then that’s me finished,’ Jane said, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. She took the wet cloth from over her shoulder and handed it to her sister. ‘Hang this up for me, will you. Wish I was a giant like you.’
    ‘Tall for my age, not a giant.’ Elizabeth took the cloth and tossed it over the pulley.
    ‘Mind when you were ten and someone thought you were married and aboot eighteen?’
    ‘Aye, bein’ tall’s handy sometimes. You can get away with all sorts!’ Elizabeth grinned.
    The sisters worked in silence for a while, eager to get their work finished quickly. ‘Right,’ said Elizabeth eventually. ‘You’ll be wantin’ a wee taste o’ puddin’ before bed?’ She went into the pantry and brought out a large round dish with a half-eaten pudding.
    ‘That looks good, whit’s it called?’ Jane wiped both hands down her apron then untied it and hung it on a hook by the sink.
    Elizabeth went to get a large spoon from the kitchen drawer. ‘Golden Puddin’, meant to just have marmalade through the mixture but I put a puddle o’ it underneath so when it was turned onto the dish it looked like a golden crown. The master said it was the best puddin’ he’s everhad.’
    Jane took the spoon and devoured a large bite. ‘Aye it’s good, Elizabeth, no’ too sweet. But if he thinks that’s the best puddin’ he’s had, then the master’s obviously no’ had oor Ma’s dumpling!’
    Elizabeth yawned widely and nodded. ‘Aye, you’re right there.’ She looked around the kitchen. ‘Grand, everything’s clean and tidy now. Awa’ upstairs wi’ you. It’s bed time.’

 
    Chapter Five
    2014
    Christine told Mags later that the phone call that changed her life forever did not come at a convenient time. The moment she had to drop everything, drive a hundred miles and be away from home for a week was at a time she was not ready to face the world.
    She had just finished cleaning the house and was exhausted. There were plastic Sainsbury’s bags all over the kitchen floor. The supermarket van had just delivered but she couldn’t face putting the things away yet so had put on the kettle to make coffee. Woman’s Hour was blaring from the radio on the window