THE STORY SO FAR
1690. Northern England. Margaret Alder, almost 20, is a shoemaker, trained by her late father. Her wayward brother Edmund is 16 and similarly trained, but with little interest in the business he’s inherited, which is frustrating for Margaret. Family friend Nolly Ormston has an affection for them both, and faith in Edmund. But one day, Edmund comes back drunk and empty-handed from an errand to get leather. He says he met a finely dressed manservant in a tavern, who is coming to the shop the next day. This implausible story leaves Margaret incensed. Yet, the man, Thomas, duly turns up, urgently requesting shoes for his Lady, who has lost her entire collection in an accident. She’ll pay well. Edmund, unusually interested in his work, assures Thomas that he and his assistant will take on the commission. His assistant! This is the final straw for Margaret. She decides to teach Edmund a lesson by leaving him to start the job alone.
Margaret rushed about buying food for the day’s meal but with barely a notion of what she was doing. Leaving Edmund on his own like that. She felt like the worst of sisters. Even though her brother had been trained to do those all-important foot measurements, Edmund was slapdash at it. His work always needed checking. In truth, Edmund preferred that Margaret do those detailed and important tasks. And she’d abandoned him to get on with them alone.
When she finally reached Nolly Ormston’s house, it was his wife Rose who answered the door.
‘Margaret, come in.’ There was a frown. ‘Are you unwell? Is
