Olive drew in a long shuddering breath. For years Ruby had flaunted Adam in front of her. All the lads had liked Ruby, but from when she and Adam were bairns they’d been as thick as thieves. Even so, why their mam had agreed for the two to begin courting at fourteen she’d never know. She’d told her mother that it was indecent and that Ruby would get herself talked about, but the only response she’d had was a pat on the arm and her mam saying quietly and kindly that her turn would come in time.

Olive’s jaw moved as she ground her teeth. Her mam had known that was rubbish as well as she had. She remembered Ruby’s engagement do when Adam’s family had come round for a bit of a knees-up. His brothers had acted the goat as usual and everyone had been merry, going on about what a perfect couple they were. She’d suffered agonies that day, painfully aware of what the assembled throng had been thinking behind all the smiles and guffaws.

‘Shame about the older sister and her as plain as a pikestaff. How can two sisters be so different?’

Oh, aye, she’d known, she told herself bitterly. No lad, not even the ugly ones or Wilbur Hardy with his club foot, had ever looked her way. Her nickname at school had been Scarecrow after one bright spark had said her face would frighten even the crows. She’d been eight or nine at the time and had pretended she didn’t care when the lads had bandied it about in the playground and the girls, even those who were supposed to be her friends, had sniggered.

A sudden gust of wind prompted her to open the door of the church and as she stepped into the dimly lit interior the sweet, heavy scent of stale incense brought her stomach churning again. As a child she’d liked coming here, finding the services with their rituals and ceremony strangely comforting. Even the statue of Jesus lying in His mother’s arms with blood coming out of His side and His hands and feet torn hadn’t bothered her, although Ruby had had nightmares about it when she was a bairn. Olive’s lip curled. That was typical of the spoiled brat she’d been and still was. Everything had been handed on a plate to Ruby from the moment she was born, with her big brown eyes and blonde hair and simpering smiles. Well, no more. Now her sister was going to have to face the real world. Her perfect Adam wasn’t so perfect after all.