‘It’s not even like it happened with an accident at work,’ Amy had sobbed after Rose had put the closed sign on the door and taken her upstairs to the flat to make a cup of tea. ‘Daisy might have got something then to tide her over a bit. You know how tight things are for them anyway with the five bairns an’ all.’ Daisy’s eldest three girls were at school but the youngest two, twins called Sarah and Katy, were only six months old. ‘I’ve said I’ll have the twins in the day if she wants to go out to work – it’s the only way she’s got a chance of keeping the house on – but like she said what can she do, she’s not trained for anything, and there’s no work for lassies round here anyway. She could go back an’ live with me mam an’ da but with the bairns it won’t be easy, and you know how her an’ Mam rub each other up the wrong way if they’re together for more than five minutes. Me mam will interfere with the bairns, she can’t help herself. She always thinks she knows best and it drives Daisy barmy.’

Rose nodded. Daisy and her mam loved each other but rarely saw eye to eye about anything. ‘How about if Daisy came to help out here in the shop?’ she said after a moment or two when she had worked out in her head what she could pay Amy’s sister. It would have to be more than she had intended to pay for an assistant because Daisy would have the rent and household expenses as well as the children’s clothes and shoes and what-have-you to find. Initially she had thought a young girl fresh from school who she could train up would be ideal, but she couldn’t ignore Daisy’s circumstances and not help.

Amy stared at her, eyes wide. ‘Really?’

‘Aye, yes, of course. If you could have the twins she can bring the other three with her every morning and either her or me can take them to school and collect them at night. They can come home here and play with Betsy until we shut shop, and then Daisy can come and pick up Sarah and Katy from you. Are you sure you’re happy to have the twins every day, though?’

Amy nodded. ‘I’d love it to be honest. Frank doesn’t want me to work outside the home but with the miscarriages and everything I feel like it’s a prison sometimes.’

‘Oh, lass.’ Rose hugged her. Amy didn’t often talk about what she’d been through, she just soldiered on.