‘Gran,’ says the younger one, sitting beside my bed. I’ve been in bed a lot lately. My body doesn’t feel strong but I don’t know why. I cough and the younger one’s face crumples with worry. She’s chewing her bottom lip. The older woman looks hostile. She reminds me of someone. The expression she’s pulling, the disappointment in her eyes. She reminds me of Rose. ‘It’s Saffy,’ says the pregnant one. Saffy. Saffy. The name rings a bell. She’s calling me Gran. She must be my granddaughter. The other has to be her mother: they look so alike. But I’ve never had children. I know that. I’d remember that. The younger one is crying. I don’t know why. Tears are slipping down her face and falling onto the denim trouser legs, creating little dark splodges. Who are your tears for, my dear? I long to ask her. But my mouth won’t move. The words won’t come.

The older woman stands behind this Saffy and squeezes her shoulders. ‘Mum,’ she says, looking at me. ‘It’s Lorna. Lolly.’

Lolly. Of course it’s Lolly. My Lolly, my love.

‘I wish you could remember,’ she says softly. ‘I wish you could remember what happened to Rose, why you took her name.’

Of course I remember. ‘To keep you safe,’ I suddenly say, and their eyes widen in surprise. My voice is croaky. I sound like an old woman. The hands folded over my sheets are wrinkled and veiny. I am an old woman. Of course I am. Why do I keep forgetting that?

Lolly comes around the other side of the bed and places her hands over mine. ‘I want to forgive you, so much,’ she says. Her hands feel warm on top of my cold ones. ‘Especially now. We’ll never really know what happened that night,’ she says to me. I stare back at her. I’m not completely sure which night she’s referring to. I close my eyes. It hurts to keep them open. My chest aches and so do my lungs. I can hear their voices although they sound very far away but they’re talking about Skelton Place. And Rose.

My Rose.

I realize they’re talking about an upcoming court case. And Victor Carmichael. They’re talking about the night Rose died.

And despite the pain in my chest and the ache in my lungs I begin to talk.