Briony swept into the house in Oxlow Lane in a cloud of cold air and perfume. Molly went outside and picked up the hamper, dragging it through the door. Briony helped her get it on the table.

‘Where’s the girls?’

‘All gone up the Lane for some last-minute shopping. Eileen’s been promising them she’ll take them all week. Rosalee’s asleep upstairs.’

Briony removed her coat and hung it carefully on the nail behind the front door.

‘How are you, Mum?’

She and Molly had had a truce for nearly a year now. It was a truce that suited them both. Molly needed Briony’s wages, as they were called, and Briony had no intention of ever coming back to her mother’s house. Molly had resigned herself to Briony’s choice of career and now the two got on quite well.

‘I wanted to talk to you, Mum, I’m glad we’re alone.’

Briony put the kettle on the fire and started to make a fresh pot of tea while Molly unpacked the hamper.

‘It’s Henry - Mr Dumas. He’s losing interest in me.’

Molly pushed back her faded blonde hair and stared across at her daughter’s beautiful face. Every time she looked at Briony she marvelled where she could have come from. With that red hair and white skin, she was unlike any of the others. Unlike her parents or grandparents, though the Irish were often red-headed.

‘What you going to do then?’

Briony sighed. ‘I don’t know, Mum, but if I get me marching orders, the wages go with me.’

Molly knew this already and it scared her.

‘Have you got anything down below yet?’

‘I did have, but Cissy plucked them out for me.’Briony bit on her bottom lip. ‘He can’t stand it, see, Mum. Once I start to develop properly, he won’t want me any more. I had a show last week. The curse is on its way, I just know it.’

Molly nodded. Briony made the tea and took the steaming pot over to the table.

‘What am I going to do?’

Molly sighed. ‘I don’t know, girl. We’ll put our thinking caps on and maybe something will come up.’

Rosalee started to cry and Briony went up the stairs and brought her down to the kitchen. ‘Bri ... Bri ...’

Briony hugged her close and kissed her. ‘Yes, it’s Bri Bri, and she’s got a lovely present for you for Christmas.’

Molly watched the red head and the blonde together and felt a sadness in herself. Both were tainted but in different ways. Of the two she’d rather have Rosalee any day.