With this, Mags felt sleep taking her and gave herself up to its peace.

Chapter Nine

Betsy sat on the wall outside her ma’s house, not feeling the April downpour, such was her sense of devastation.

She’d come here to tell her ma that Bill was to have an operation to straighten his leg. The surgeon had said he would be able-bodied once more and could return to work and get his former life back. It was as Mags had said; the break had not been mended properly, and now he was to have it re-broken and set as it should be.

Not mended right? Eeh, poor Bill were left in agony for days, with just a strap keeping a splint in place. And aye, he’s been in agony since an’ all. But the joy of all this coming to an end for Bill couldn’t lift her spirits.

‘Hey, come inside, our Betsy, you’re getting wet through.’

Betsy turned and looked at her sister, a bonny lass who was not yet wed, and not showing any interest in being so. She was what was termed a bookworm, and she had big ideas about being a teacher one day. Eeh, such things don’t happen to the likes of us, but I’ll not spoil the lass’s dreams.

‘I am wet through, our Ciss. Me tears are soaking me insides. How are we to get through this, eh?’

‘Come on, lass, we will. This ain’t like you. We’ve to be here for Ma. She can’t beat this cancer that’s eating away at her, but we can help her to cope and . . . well, you knaw – when the time comes, be with her, holding her hand.’

‘But why? How? I hadn’t an inkling.’

‘I knaw. She put on a brave face over her pain and swore me to secrecy. She didn’t go a minute without her make-up, to cover her gaunt features. And as for her being skin and bones, well, she’s never had much fat on her, so she managed to keep from us how she was failing.’

‘You should’ve said sommat. I could have asked Mags to help me get a doctor to see her long afore this.’

‘I didn’t realize. Honest, Betsy, don’t blame me. I thought it would pass. Ma’s allus been so tough and able to cope with owt.’

‘Aye, I knaw. I didn’t mean that. But what’re we to do? How’re we going to cope?’

‘We have to. Now, as we knaw the truth, we need to be strong for her.’

Strong? How can I cope with all that I have eating away at me – Ma dying, and me Bill terrified of the op he’s facing; and aye, living in fear of Harold Roford.

Betsy’s mind revisited the incident that had put her in fear.

Is it really two months since the wedding? Since that pig Mags married held me too close to him and told me that his time with me will come? Betsy’s mind shut out how she’d had an answering feeling in her, as Mr Roford pressed himself closer to her and she’d felt him getting hard. He’d covered it up by leaving for the bathroom straight after dancing with her.