Taking the frocks off their hangers she rolled them up and tied them into a bundle with the cord of her dressing gown. They were Mrs Walton’s by rights and she’d take them to her. It would be up to Mrs Walton what she did with them; she didn’t care one way or the other.

Fastening the suitcase she picked it up, and with the bundle tucked under one arm she walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Olive was again sitting at the table and her mother was mashing a pot of tea; she looked up as Ruby entered and said quickly, ‘I was just going to bring you a cup up, hinny,’ before her gaze went to the suitcase. ‘You’re not going somewhere, not tonight?’

Did her mother seriously think she could bear to stay under the same roof as Olive for a minute more?

Ruby’s face must have expressed how she felt because in the next moment, tears in her voice, Cissy said, ‘No, lass, no, don’t leave like this. Please, hinny, wait till your da gets back and we’ll talk about things.’

Quietly, and without glancing Olive’s way, Ruby said, ‘I’m going, Mam.’

‘But where, and at this time of night?’

She had known where to seek refuge from the moment she had looked at the dresses on the wardrobe door. ‘I’ll be at Mrs Walton’s.’

‘Lass, no, this is all wrong.’

No one knew that better than her. Again Ruby’s face spoke for her and Cissy murmured, ‘When will you be back?’

‘I won’t be coming back, Mam.’ Somehow her mother’s championing of Olive hurt more at this moment than her sister’s treachery and Adam’s betrayal.

‘Of course you will, this is your home.’

Not any more. As Ruby looked at her mother she knew with a quiet certainty that she would never return to live under this roof with its memories of a life that might have been. Whether Olive remained here or whether Father McHaffie had his way and Adam married her sister, she was saying goodbye, and she made this clear when she said, ‘I’ll write and let you know where I am when I’m settled.’

‘Where you are? What do you mean? You just said you were going to Mrs Walton’s. She’ll let you stay there for a bit, won’t she?’

When Ruby made no reply Cissy walked across and hugged her, but her daughter’s body was stiff and unresponsive and after a moment Cissy stepped back a pace, saying helplessly, ‘Be careful, lass, the pavements are like glass. Do you want me to walk along of you?’