‘I’m going back to see her later and if she’s in a fit state I’ll mention what you’ve said. She was in shock earlier when I said about her going out to work – I don’t even know if she took it in properly. Mam’s taken the twins to hers and one of the neighbours was sitting with Daisy but I don’t want to leave her too long.’

They talked a little more and then Amy left. After she’d seen her out, Rose took the notice out of the window. Poor Daisy and poor bairns. Lonnie had always made a lot of his girls and the three older ones worshipped their da. Why was life so unfair sometimes?

Daisy came to see Rose the following day. By the time she left, it had been agreed that she would start work in the shop the day after Lonnie’s funeral. She confided that they had always lived from hand to mouth, something Rose already knew, and that apart from the rent money and her housekeeping for the next week, she had nothing. Her parents had told her that they would stand the expense of the funeral, so that was one worry off her mind. ‘I feel bad about it ’cause I know the money will have to come out of the bit they’ve put away for their old age, but they insisted.’

‘Of course they did,’ Rose said. ‘That’s what families are for. They love you. They want to help.’