After a few minutes Kerry started to sing softly to herself. Bernadette sat beside Rosalee; taking her hand, she smiled into the vacant eyes. Molly watched, and as she saw Rosalee smile back, felt a pain in her chest. Why the hell had God sent her Rosalee? Hadn’t she enough on her plate as it was without an idiot? Then, seeing her chance, Bernadette leant over Rosalee and pinched Briony hard on the inside of her leg. She leapt up in the air. Pushing Rosalee out of the way, she grabbed at Bernadette’s hair, dragging the now screaming child across the dirt floor, shaking her as Bernadette grabbed hopelessly at the fingers tugging her hair.

Kerry sat up again in the bed. ‘That’s it, our Briony. Scratch the skin from her hands... The dirty bitch!’

Molly dragged her cumbersome body up. With one deft movement she slapped Kerry’s face. A howl went up. Then she dragged herself from the bed and set about Briony and Bernadette. Her work-worn hands found legs and arms and she slapped them hard. Rosalee watched it all in the dying firelight and her expression never changed. Three shrieking voices rang in Molly’s ears. She held on to the mantelpiece for support as a pain tore through her. Bent double, she gasped and tried to steady her breathing.

‘I’m giving you all one last warning,’ she told them, ‘I mean it. One sound and you’re all out in the backyard until the birth’s over. If you don’t think I’d send you out in the cold, then you just try me ... You just bloody try me!’

She staggered back to her bed. Briony tried to help her, sorry now for all the trouble, and Molly slapped her hands away.

‘You, Briony, should know better. You’re eight years old. You should be helping me, child.’

She dropped her eyes and her thick red hair hung over her face like a tangled curtain.

‘I’m sorry, Ma.’

Molly climbed into bed once more. The bugs in it ran amok, this way and that, trying to get into the torn mattress before they were squashed by the bulk above them.

‘“I’m sorry, Ma”. If I had a penny for every time I heard that, I’d be living the life of Riley! One more word out of any of you and I’ll let your father find you work. I mean it.’

Briony was scared now. Her father would farm them out in the morning; it was only her mother who’d stopped him until now. She took Bernadette’s hand and led her to the fireside. Rosalee smiled at them both and Briony hugged her close. Molly resumed her wait. Kerry crooned softly to herself again.

‘Sing us a song, Kerry.’ Briony’s voice broke the gloom. ‘Send our Rosalee off to sleep.’