‘It’s a lovely day,’ Mo said, appreciating the September sunshine as they walked along the street. Battersea was a stinking dirty area, with the factories billowing out smoke, but she always thought the place looked much cheerier when the sun was shining.

‘Yes, it is. Tommy would have loved to be playing out with Larry now. Oh, no, Mo. I haven’t told Larry’s mum, or the school …’

‘Don’t worry, I’ve already spoken to Larry’s mum and she told the headmaster at Tommy’s school. I would have gone and seen your friend Jenny too but I wasn’t sure where she lives,’ Mo said.

‘Thanks, Mo, I don’t know what to say.’

‘You don’t have to say nothing, it was the least I could do.’

‘If I talk about Tommy, I’ll start crying again, so tell me how the new modelling job is coming along.’

Mo’s stomach knotted and her heart raced. She wondered if she should tell Sarah what a big mistake she’d made, but as she felt so embarrassed and ashamed, she decided to keep it to herself. ‘Yes, it’s great,’ she lied. ‘Barry’s put together my portfolio and is busy getting my pictures in front of the right people. It shouldn’t be long before I get my first assignment.’

‘Wow, that’s fantastic. Have you told Samuel about it yet?’

‘No, so don’t mention it in front of him. I’m working back at the cinema for now, just until a modelling job comes up. I’ll tell him when I’ve got some work, or my picture in a fashion magazine,’ Mo said and her stomach lurched again. The thought of her nude photographs being seen in print had caused her so many sleepless nights and she knew she was looking haggard.

‘Well, I’m sure once he sees you looking gorgeous and splashed over all the fashion mags, he’ll be ever so proud of you. I’ve never met any celebrities, but now I’m going to have a famous friend!’

‘I wouldn’t go that far,’ Mo said, trying to play it down.

She swallowed, hoping her lies would never come to light. She knew her photographs were never going to appear in a magazine, at least not the sort Samuel would approve of.

Chapter 40

Sarah had a restless night’s sleep, haunted by dreams of Tommy, and awoke in the morning already exhausted. She contemplated staying in bed; after all, she couldn’t think of any reason to get up, and her energy was drained. She turned over and pulled the covers around her to try to block out the light. She could hear the voices of excited children on their way to school, another reminder that Tommy was gone.