‘Your father … Ron Lyons … he lives on Lavender Hill. It’s up to you what you do, but you have a right to know.’

Sarah took in a sharp breath as her mother’s words sunk in.

‘But I thought my dad was dead?’

‘No, he’s alive and well, but he didn’t want nothing to do with us.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I told you he was dead ’cos I met him when I was just a kid. Sweet sixteen – yes, I was sweet once. He was a big man, full of charm, and he knocked my socks off. I fell in love with him, absolutely besotted I was. Life at home was pretty crap with my dad treating me like his wife, and, well, Ron said he would marry me and take me away from it all.’

‘So what happened?’

‘He never left his wife and kids. Yeah, that’s right, he was a married man, but I was so blinded by love and desperate to get away from home, I stupidly believed all his lies. When I told him I was carrying you, I thought he’d be over the moon, but no, he dropped me like a ton of bricks and broke my heart.’

‘Oh, Mum, why didn’t you ever tell me any of this?’

‘What was the point, eh? See, once my dad got wind of my pregnancy, he gave me a good hiding and threw me out. Ron didn’t want me, I had nowhere to go and no money. That’s why I had to start selling myself. It wasn’t for the booze – well, not at first. It was for us. But as the years went by, I hated myself and what I was doing more and more. I started drinking to blot out the pain, and look where that’s got me.’

‘Oh, Mum, you’ve had a terrible life, but it’s not too late to change. You can stop drinking and get better.’

‘No, Sarah, it’s gone beyond that. I’ve poisoned my body and I’m at death’s door. I’m glad I’ve been able to make amends with you though. It’s been a long time coming and I wish I’d spoken up sooner.’

‘Me too, but what about Tommy’s dad?’

Sarah saw a black look come into her mother’s eyes, and Annie turned her face away.

‘Just go now, will you?’ her mother said coldly.

‘No, Mum, I won’t. Tommy deserves to know about his dad too.’

Annie tried to sit up, but fell back into her mattress. ‘You really want to know?’

‘Yes, Mum, I do.’

‘OK, I’ll tell you. I just hope for your sake that I haven’t spawned the child of the devil, ’cos I’m telling you, his father was evil.’