Setting the tea on the fender, Rosie eased herself into the armchair opposite. ‘Have ye been able to think things through at all?’

‘What… you mean about Alfie?’ Reaching down, Molly collected her tea and took a sip. She had thought about nothing else all morning.

‘Not just Alfie,’ Rosie answered. ‘I mean everything.’

‘Course I have, but there’s not a lot I can do,’ Molly told her. ‘I’ll not be able to work because of the children, so my dad will have to start tipping up his wage on a Friday. If he doesn’t, there’ll be no money at all coming in. At least our mam had my board and lodgings, and a bit over the top whenever I could manage it. I don’t know if I’ll get anything out of Lottie.’

‘Do you really think he’ll start tipping up his wages?’ Rosie couldn’t see it, somehow.

‘Hmh!’ Molly was under no illusions either. ‘I’m sure he’ll kick up holy hell, but like it or not, he’ll have to start facing up to his responsibilities.’

‘You’ll have your work cut out,’ Rosie sighed. She saw Frank for what he was, a womaniser and a waster. ‘The trouble is, he’s got away with it for too long and now he’s set in his ways. Once he finds out your mam’s gone off with some fella, he’ll run riot.’ She gave a low whistle. ‘Sure, I’m glad I’m not the one that has to tell him!’

Molly didn’t look forward to that task either, but it would need to be done. ‘I’ll tell him tonight,’ she decided. ‘I daren’t leave it any longer.’

‘Aye, I can see that.’

The girl gave a sad little smile. ‘D’you know, Rosie, I really thought she’d come home. Last night, I was so sure she would just turn up and be full of apologies, but she didn’t – and now I know she never will. I don’t even know if any of us will ever see her again.’

Choking back the lump in her throat, she went on, ‘I’ve been thinking about earning some money from home – you know, so I can be with the children. Mrs Pearson down the street, she earns from home, doing other folks’ washing. Happen there’s summat I could do like that.’

‘I’m sorry, lass.’ Rosie felt guilty. ‘You know I’d have the childer while you went out to work, but I can’t leave Dad all on his own, and I can’t take the childer there because, however much he puts on a brave front, he’s not a well man. An hour at a time is about all he could stand of little ones round his feet. That’s not to say he doesn’t think the world of them, because you know he does.’

‘Thanks all the same, Rosie, but I’ll manage somehow, don’t you worry.’

‘If you don’t mind me saying, it’s not nice doing other folks’ washing. Sure, there must be something else ye can turn your hand to?’