It was truly delicious cake and again I was amazed I could fit it in. While we were eating, Mrs Edwards was chatting away again and asking lots of questions.

‘How come you not at church today, bella?’ she asked. Italiany people call girls Bella, just like my Scottish mum calls people ‘hen’ but doesn’t really think they are chickens.

‘Mum left in the car with Caleb early this morning and so we didn’t have to go,’ I said.

‘Oh no. I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘We all knew she wouldn’t stay but we were hopeful.’

I just looked at her, a bit confused. ‘Oh no, Mrs Edwards. She always takes Caleb,’ I said.

‘No! She has left you before? I did not know that. I just heard from Alice that she was planning to go soon. I’m sorry, Dorcas. It must be very sad for you and for your dad.’

‘Well …’ I said. ‘Not really. Dad is sort of used to it too, although she usually goes when he is at work, and he doesn’t usually drive her.’

‘He drove her away today? Well, I don’t know what to think about that,’ said Mrs Edwards, surprised.

We both stopped talking for a minute.

‘Mrs Edwards, Mum and Dad took Caleb to the hospital because of his asthma. That’s why I’m not at church. Why wouldn’t Dad drive them if he was home from work?’

‘Oh. Oh. I see,’ said Mrs Edwards. ‘I misunderstand you, bella. Don’t pay no attention to me. That’s good they go together. That’s good. I hope that little boy is fine. I will pray for him. I know your family doesn’t like the Catholic, but our prayers are just as good as yours, I’m sure of it. Now, eat more cake and go and play.’

But I thought it might be time to go home in case Mum and Dad beat me to it, so I thanked her. Teddy said he would walk me home but I told him not to because I had to think about what Mrs Edwards had just said.

I didn’t know Mum’s hair client Alice Johns knew Mrs Edwards, and a whole world of women in the area talking to each other had just opened up. And what had Alice been telling Mrs Edwards, and maybe telling other mothers too? I know I made Mum cross, but she would never go away. My heart started to jump up and down in my chest and I felt scared and worried.

CHAPTER 12

I knew I was in trouble as soon as I neared the house and saw the car in the drive.

I stopped dead in my tracks for a minute and considered my options. All kinds of pictures raced through my brain like little pieces of film, but none of them offered a solution. I thought about visiting Mr Driver and then pretending he had been ill and I had been helping him, but I didn’t want to implicate him in my dilemma. I thought about saying we had used up all the bread and I had gone to the shop to get a new loaf, but then realised I didn’t have one as evidence. I briefly considered the idea that I wanted to understand more about the Catholics, and that this was a good day to go and look at their church because usually I couldn’t because we were at our church, and I said some of the words out loud to try them out and knew they wouldn’t make the grade.