‘Do not be afraid, Mags. It iz that when we are hurt we need a friend, and I can be that to you.’

‘And you won’t push me to be more – not for a while at least?’

‘I promise. And you saying “not now, but maybe” will keep me longing, but careful of your feelingz. I knew my own feelingz the minute I looked into your eyes. Love can happen like this, and it did for me.’

Wanting to change the subject, Mags pointed out that Sibbie had toddled quite a way from them. She got up and went over to her. Once more Sibbie greeted her with a smile, one that showed blades of grass stuck to her mouth. ‘You little scamp, have you been eating grass? Are you hungry?’ Sibbie’s arms came out to her. Lifting her gave Mags that maternal longing once more. Holding Sybil close comforted her. How can Susan bear to be away from her? What is it about Harold that can tear a mother away from her child? And how can he reject his own daughter in this way? But then Harold had been taught from a young age to discard people. His mother had done it to Flors, and so it had become the natural way of things to Harold.

There I go again, excusing him, when there is no excuse. Harold is evil. The hurt he has inflicted on me will always be with me. I am one of those he has discarded, but how many more will there be? Thinking this, Mags was glad to no longer feel the hurt. Maybe it won’t always stay with me. Make me cautious, yes, but no longer give me the physical pain it did at first. As this hope entered her, a question came to her: Is there happiness out there for me? Maybe a future for me with Montel?

Something inside her wanted there to be.

Chapter Twenty

Betsy felt happiness dancing through her as she walked her two eldest to school. The air held the familiar smell of factory smoke, which belched from the huge chimneys of the many mills, and the cobbled pavement shone, as the recent shower had dampened the stones.

‘Mind you don’t slip, me lasses.’ The girls giggled as they jumped a puddle. Daisy landed in the edge of it and sent a snake of water into the air, just missing Betsy. It came to her to scold Daisy, but she couldn’t dampen the girls’ joy. They’d been through a lot and today was one of the few times she’d seen them looking carefree.

Her mind brought her a memory, and pleasure warmed her body and made her catch her breath. She had her own reasons to feel lifted and carefree. Eeh, me lovely Bill, he made me soar to a place I’d almost forgotten, with his lovemaking. The recollection got her drawing in her breath, but as she did so, the feeling inside her changed. Letting go of Rosie’s hand, she had to stop for a moment. Swallowing hard didn’t help, and she only just managed to bend over the edge of the pavement before vile-tasting bile retched from her.