Ruby spent the rest of the night holding Ellie’s limp hand in hers, crying and begging God to spare her. Ellie couldn’t die, she told herself – and God – over and over again. Her friend had had such a horrible life with her mam and da, and then since meeting Daniel Bell it had got so much worse. She couldn’t bear to think of what Ellie must have been subjected to. Once she was over this, she would take care of Ellie for the rest of her life or as long as Ellie needed her. She’d forget the dream of a dress shop; compared to Ellie’s well-being it was nothing. She could use the money she had saved thus far for a deposit on a small house for the two of them and carry on working at the laundry. Matron Henderson had hinted more than once that the job of head laundress would be hers in due course. She would do anything, anything if Ellie could get well; her life couldn’t end in this terrible way.

It was seven o’clock in the morning when Ellie gave a great shuddering sigh and opened her eyes. She didn’t ask where she was or move so much as a finger – it was clear she didn’t have the strength – but she looked straight at Ruby as though she had known she’d be there, giving her such a sweet smile that Ruby’s eyes filled with tears despite the promise she’d made to herself that she wouldn’t let Ellie see her cry. She had to be strong for her.

‘Ruby . . .’ It was the faintest of whispers.

‘Hello, lass.’ Ruby kissed her cheek, stroking a strand of hair from her forehead. ‘You frightened me,’ she said softly, ‘but you are all right now and I’m here and I’m staying.’

‘I . . . I didn’t want to do it.’

‘I know, lass, I know. Don’t talk. Save your strength to get well.’

‘He – he made me drink something and then I couldn’t stop him taking me there. My baby . . .’

‘Don’t think about that now, please, Ellie, don’t.’ Ruby wanted to make it all better but she couldn’t. ‘You’re safe and I promise I’ll look after you from now on. We’ll get a little house together – you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Just the two of us where we can be together again.’

Ellie whispered something but Ruby had to lean right over her before she could make out what her friend was trying to say. ‘Daniel . . . Be careful.’

‘Forget about him, he’ll never hurt you again. No one will and I’m not frightened of him, Ellie.’

The great eyes in the chalk-white face were pleading for something, but again Ruby had to put her ear to Ellie’s mouth, so faint was the whisper. ‘Do you think I’ll be with my baby?’