‘I can spare an hour. Why?’

‘I wondered if you’d go to see if Jenny needs anything. She hasn’t been able to come today because Mrs Adams has had a stroke.’

‘I’ll go round there straight away.’

It was only a short distance, but he drove to save time. He knocked on the front door, and when there was no reply he turned the handle and found it unlocked. He walked in. The house seemed uncannily quiet, and he remembered the last time he’d been here and seen Ma Adams sitting in her chair, studying him with shrewd eyes. The room was empty now.

‘Jenny,’ he called softly.

‘Oh, hello.’ She came down the stairs carrying a tray.

He was shocked by her appearance. Her dress was badly creased, her hair untidy, and she looked exhausted, with great dark shadows under her eyes. ‘Mum told me about Ma. Is there anything we can do for you?’

The cups on the tray rattled as her hands shook. He took it from her and placed it on the sideboard. ‘How bad is she?’

‘She’s got worse during the night.’ Her voice wavered and she looked at him with tortured eyes. ‘Ma’s dying … What am I going to do without her?’

Matt stepped forward and gathered Jenny into his arms. He stroked her hair as she laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed. He felt like doing the same. Not for the elderly woman upstairs, whom he’d only met once, but for this lovely girl.

How much more sorrow and hardship must she endure? A father who had killed himself; a mother who didn’t want her; the Stannards who had branded her a thief and turned her out; and her aunt who had tried to marry her off to that obnoxious man Greaves.

At that moment he was so furious at the cards of life this gentle girl had been dealt that he could have killed someone!

25

For the next week Jenny never left Ma’s side. With the help of Glad and occasionally Fred and Stan when Ma needed lifting, she kept Ma clean, fed and as comfortable as possible. But each day the elderly woman deteriorated, until she hardly seemed aware of anything or anyone. In the beginning Jenny had clung to the belief that she would recover, but it was hard to fool herself any longer. Ma was dying. It could only be a matter of days now, Glad had told her gently.

Jenny and Glad had just given Ma a nice wash, and changed her nightdress and sheets. When she was settled back in bed, propped up on the pillows, Jenny kissed her cheek. ‘There, Ma, that’s more comfy, isn’t it?’

In a rare moment of recognition, Ma’s eyes lingered on Jenny, then she sighed and fell asleep.