‘No. I . . . Oh, Betsy, I killed her!’ The tears Mags had shed in the past over what happened were nothing to what came from her now, as she told Betsy what had occurred.

To have Betsy holding her felt good, and yet it released more of Mags’s pain. It reminded her of how her own mother used to soothe her, and that she would never do so again. Awareness seeped into her that Betsy was crying, too.

‘Oh Betsy, I’ve upset you now. I’m sorry.’

Betsy’s sobs racked her body, and Mags knew that giving comfort to her had triggered Betsy’s own pain.

Betsy was the first one to calm. ‘By, lass, me troubles spilled from me then. I suddenly thought of what happened to Bill, and how that’s made him more like a brother to me than a husband; and of me struggles to keep a roof over me family’s head. But I fear that may be nowt, compared to what you might have to face in your future. But we have to be strong. Oh, aye, the men have all the rights, but it’s us women who drive them. Not that they knaw about that. And that’s what you’ve to do, if you go through with wedding yourself to Harold. Sommat I’d strongly advise you not to do. You’re a beautiful woman, you’ve got prospects – there’d be men lining up to make you their wife, if they knew you were available. Men as would love and cherish you. I don’t think as Harold is capable of doing that, or of being faithful to you. Whether that’s his fault or not, it’s a fact, and one I can testify to.’

With her sobs calming and some control coming back to her, Mags felt this last remark cutting through her heart. And the enormity of what must have happened between Harold and Betsy hit her. ‘I’ll break off with him. I will. I’ll confront him with what he did to you; only you must tell me exactly what happened, so that I can hit Harold with the facts.’

‘Aw, lass, you’ll come to hate me, if you use me as a stick to beat Harold with. ’Cause he’s not going to leave it there. He’ll blacken me name until you doubt me. Naw, if you break off with him, it has to be because of sommat he has done to you. This blackmailing that he puts you through. His taking of you before you were wed, and the way he has demeaned you, in not letting you take any part in your family business. Them’s to be the reasons. You’ve to use the letter you told me he left you. His words in that are enough to make any woman turn against him. But please don’t even hint that you knaw he tried it on with me.’

Oh God, did Harold rape Betsy – or at least try to? Mags reached out and took hold of Betsy’s hand.