‘Here.’ Ruby placed the cup of tea she’d poured while her sister gained control into Olive’s hand, adding, ‘Drink it, it’ll help. I looked for some brandy or whisky to add to it but I couldn’t find any.’

‘Probably –’ Olive gulped deep in her throat and then took in a long breath – ‘probably just as well. The state I look, if my breath smelled of whisky the neighbours would say I was pie-eyed. They don’t miss a thing in my street.’

‘You all right, lass?’

Olive didn’t give her an answer to this, but what she said was, ‘I’ve made such a mess of things, Ruby. I’ll never forgive myself, never as long as I live. I’ve ruined your life and Adam’s and Alice’s—’

‘Hey, no, stop right there.’ Ruby shook her head. ‘You haven’t ruined my life – far from it, I promise you. And from what I could see of Alice she looks a happy, bonny little girl. As for Adam, he’s not exactly blameless in all of this.’

‘He doesn’t look at it like that.’

‘Nevertheless, it’s true.’ Ruby took a sip of her own tea. ‘And if he can’t accept that after all this time, I feel sorry for him. Life has to be lived looking forwards, I’ve learned that. It’s the only way.’

‘You’re different.’ Olive searched her face. ‘You even sound different.’

‘That’d be the elocution lessons.’

‘Elocution lessons?’

Ruby smiled. ‘I’ve done a lot of things in the last four years I would never have dreamed of when I left here.’

‘Tell me.’ Olive leaned slightly forwards. ‘Tell me it all. And how’s Ellie? Is she with you?’ Then, at the look on her sister’s face, she murmured, ‘Oh, no, lass. What’s happened?’

Ruby began at the beginning and told her sister everything, from the best to the worst, and when she had finished, they sat in silence for a few moments before Olive said, ‘And this Daniel Bell? He’s in prison for how long?’

‘I don’t know, for a few years I would think.’

‘And will you do what Howard said and move away before he’s let out?’

‘Perhaps.’ Ruby shrugged. She had no intention of letting Daniel Bell frighten her away but she wasn’t about to tell Olive that. ‘And don’t tell Mam and Da about him, all right? They’d only worry and there’s no need.’

‘I don’t know about that.’

‘We’ll see.’

Olive could see that was the end of that particular subject. ‘And Edward? Do you . . . like him?’

‘I told you. He and Clarissa are friends, as far as they can be, anyway, with them being top drawer. We move in different worlds.’ Ruby glanced at Olive’s face and smiled. ‘There’s nothing like that going on, I promise you.’