‘Indeed it was, Mrs Craig. They went to Lochee yesterday to take her down to the harbour.’

‘So, there will be other bodies in the next few days,’ Ann whispered.

‘If you believe the rantings of some mad woman,’ Margaret tutted.

‘She will be right, she always is.’

‘Mamma, the twins are going onto the Green this afternoon to build a snowman. Please say we can go too?’

Ann Craig looked at her son, who was jumping up and down beside her. She shivered and seemed to spring back into life. ‘We shall see, but let us all walk home now. Lizzie, James, come along please.’

She grasped her children’s hands and began to walk down the hill.

‘Good day,’ she said. The Donaldsons and Alec Smith watched as she strode away over the slippery cobbles, sure-footed.

CHAPTER 26

Chapter 26

2015

Fiona and Jamie walked along Perth Road and headed down Roseangle towards the river.

‘Right, it’s your turn to carry the bag, Jamie. It’s heavy.’

Jamie grabbed the carrier bag from her, saying nothing. He stomped on ahead.

‘Stop being so grumpy,’ Fiona called after him. ‘You should be excited about going to a new school tomorrow and with a nice uniform.’

‘I don’t see why I can’t go to Jack’s school. His blazer’s black. This one’s a silly colour. Purple’s for girls.’ He scowled. ‘And I won’t know anyone.’

‘Stop sulking. We’ve been through this. Jack’s mum and dad have saved money to send him to the High School. I don’t have any so you’re going to the local school, which is really good. It’s a brand new building and it’ll only take you five minutes to walk there. Jack’ll have to get a bus.’

‘No he won’t, his dad’s going to drive him every morning on his way to work.’

Fiona sighed and stopped walking. She nabbed her son’s collar to get him to stop.

‘Listen, I’m sorry about all this, I really am, but it’s not my fault Pete left us. I’m still trying to make sense of it so what I need right now is for you to accept that we don’t have much money and we’re lucky Granny and Pa have a big enough house for us to live with them. My job’s not paying much right now, but things’ll get better, you’ll see.’

‘It’s not fair.’

‘Life’s not fair. About time you learnt that.’

She leant down and lifted her son’s chin up. He had tears in his eyes. ‘Oh, Jamie, it’ll all be fine, you’ll see.’ She knelt beside him and gave him a hug. ‘Bet you make nice new friends on day one. Look at Pa and his friend Mark. They met on the very first day of primary one and they’re still best friends all these years later.’