Glancing discreetly at Molly, Rosie saw that she was lost in thought, no doubt concerned about her mam, and with good reason to be. ‘She’ll get over this, my pet, you’ll see.’

Before answering, Molly sipped her tea. ‘I don’t know what to make of it. She worries me.’ Looking up, she said quietly, ‘There’s summat playing on her mind, and I don’t know what it is.’

‘Ah well, it’s only to be expected,’ the other woman answered gently, ‘what with losing the bairn and all.’

‘It’s not just that.’ Molly was sure of it. ‘There’s summat else. When I tackle her, she tells me I’m imagining things, but I know her, and I know it’s not just the bairn.’

‘She might be fretting because yer da hasn’t been to see her.’ God help the poor woman, Rosie thought. I wouldn’t want him anywhere near me, and that’s a fact!

Molly gave a small, cynical laugh. ‘I don’t think it’s that,’ she answered. ‘The last thing she says to me when I’m leaving is “Keep your dad away, love. Right now I don’t want him within a mile of me!”’

Rosie nodded. ‘And who can blame her, eh? Sure, isn’t yer da the very reason she’s lying there in the infirmary? Look now,’ she glanced at the clock, ‘half past five and there’s not a hide nor hair of him. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him come rolling home drunk at midnight.’ Shaking her head, she muttered under her breath, ‘He’s enough to drive a saint to despair, so he is.’

Molly had a confession to make. ‘D’you know, Rosie, sometimes I hate him.’

‘Don’t say that, lass.’ Bad though he was, Frank was her father when all was said and done. ‘Hatred’s a terrible thing. It can destroy you if yer not careful.’

Even though she knew Rosie was right, Molly gave no reply, for she had spoken the truth. God forgive her, there were times when she hated her dad. Lately she had wondered if they wouldn’t all be better off without him.

More than anyone, Molly understood how her mam felt. The more responsibility she herself was made to take on, the more she had come to realise what a hell on earth Amy’s life had been. ‘I promised I’d go back and see her later, if that’s all right with you, Rosie.’ She had a feeling her mam needed her right now. ‘I’ll bath the children and get them off to bed.’

Always ready to help, Rosie agreed. ‘Is that why yer feeling so down, lass… because of yer mam, and everything?’

‘No, it’s not just that.’ Her voice wobbled.

‘D’ye feel like talking about it?’

The girl took a deep breath. ‘You’ll know soon enough,’ she answered, ‘so I might as well tell you now. The truth is, I’ve lost my job. I got notice this morning.’

‘What? I can’t believe it!’ Rosie was shocked. ‘You’ve been at that cake shop ever since you left school. Mrs Parsons thinks highly of you – she was talking about putting you in charge, our Alfie said. Something about her wanting to spend more time with her family?’