It was her neighbour, the woman with the hairy lip, housekeeper to Aaron the Jew.

It had taken Ada weeks to discover Mrs Herring's physical defect, which she humoured by shaving.

Now Ada could tell in an instant whether she was shaven or hairy, for when her lip bristled with hairs for lack of the razor, she peered over the fence so as to hide the lower part of her face.

Ada, being used to such things, thought at first she was hiding a black eye.

But who was there to give her one?
Aaron the pawnbroker, not being her husband, could not take such a liberty.
She had introduced herself over the fence the week of Ada's arrival, giving her the history of the neighbourhood in an unceasing flow of perfect English, her voice never rising above a whisper.