Auntie Ruby. The words hung in the air. Ruby dragged her eyes away from her sister’s face and looked fully at Adam’s daughter. Her mother had just taken the child’s woollen pom-pom hat off and as brown silky curls sprang round small cheeks flushed by the cold, Ruby waited for the pain she’d prepared herself for. It came but it was bearable.

Alice wriggled out of her coat and then stood by her grandmother’s knee, one arm round Cissy’s leg as she peered shyly at Ruby.

‘Hello, Alice,’ said Ruby softly. ‘I’m your Auntie Ruby.’ She bent down and smiled into the little face. Alice didn’t look like Adam or Olive that she could see, or anyone in the family come to that, but she was a pretty little girl with the biggest green eyes Ruby had seen on a child.

‘Hello,’ Alice whispered back, before glancing up at her grandmother as though she wasn’t sure what to do. Ruby knew just how she felt.

Cissy whisked the little girl into her arms, saying, ‘Come and see Granda. He was hoping you would come today,’ and without further ado left her two daughters to each other.

As the door closed behind them, Ruby turned to face Olive. ‘She’s beautiful,’ she said quietly.

Olive stared at her. The red had drained from her face leaving its usual sallow colour, and it occurred to Ruby that her sister looked much older than her twenty-five years. Olive hadn’t moved from her spot just inside the back door, and now Ruby said, ‘Mam’s just made a pot of tea. Do you want a cup?’

‘When—’ Olive’s voice broke and she had to clear her throat before she could say, ‘When did you get back?’

‘Yesterday afternoon.’

‘Are – are you back for good?’

‘No, just till tomorrow.’

Olive nodded, and Ruby thought she saw a flash of relief in her sister’s eyes. Rage spiralled up in her as suddenly as if someone had flicked a switch and she walked across to the range where, standing with her back to Olive, she said again, ‘Do you want a cup of tea?’ Her voice was cold and tight.

‘It’s only that I don’t know how he’ll be if he sees you again.’ Olive had come up behind her and now touched Ruby’s arm. ‘Not that I don’t want you to come home.’

Ruby cleared her throat, took in a long breath and turned round. ‘But you don’t, do you, Olive? Want me to come home again, I mean. Out of sight, out of mind. Is that it?’

Olive didn’t answer this directly. What she did say was, ‘We’re sisters, aren’t we?’

‘It’s a bit late to remember that.’

‘I don’t blame you if you don’t believe this, but – but I’ve missed you.’