‘Because if there was, then surely they’d know if she’d been on her own, because by all accounts Suzie wasn’t certain of her father’s whereabouts.’

‘Don’t you think that’s odd?’ said Mabel, eyeing her friend quizzically. ‘Why was Suzie certain that her gran was at home, but not so sure about her dad? And why was she down the shelter on her own? Surely her gran should’ve been with her?’

‘Do you think she’s lying?’ said Roz, although she couldn’t imagine why Suzie would lie about such a thing.

‘Knowing the Haggartys, anything’s possible.’

Roz shook her head as the image of Suzie, tears pouring down her face, accusing Roz of being the reason that her family were dead, washed over her. ‘She’s not lying. Not even Suzie can act that well.’

‘Then where was Callum? Because it sounds to me as though Suzie thinks he was out, but couldn’t be certain.’ This question was answered by Elsa, who had overheard her daughter’s words as she entered the house.

‘Because Callum saw Suzie down to the shelter, that’s what old Bill Parkins reckons. He said he’d seen Callum practically dragging Suzie to the shelter, then legging it when the warden took over.’

Roz’s brow furrowed as she tried to picture the scene. ‘So Suzie didn’t want to go down the shelter?’

‘Not by the sound of things, and I think I know why. I saw Suzie moments after the bomb exploded. She was standing watching the flames, crying because her grandmother was inside.’

Roz asked the question uppermost in her thoughts. ‘Who’s this Bill Parkins?’

‘He’s one of the locals down the Pig and Whistle. He recognised Callum as soon as he saw him; he was making his way to the shelter when the first bomb hit, it was him that went to the warden’s rescue. Terrible business.’ She looked at Roz as though only just realising she was there for the first time. ‘Hello, luv.’

‘Hello,’ said Roz, her voice distant as she tried to think where Callum had got to, and why Lilith had been left on her own. Without any answers springing to mind, she voiced her thoughts to Elsa.

‘Who knows when it comes to that lot?’ said Elsa. ‘It seems awfully strange to leave his mother like that, but he obviously had.’

‘This is the Haggartys we’re talking about,’ said Mabel. ‘I wouldn’t put anything past that lot.’

Roz, however, knew the Haggartys better than anyone in that house. If Lilith was on her own, then it was for a reason, and if she was right, and Callum knowingly left his mother during an air raid, then he had as good as killed her. She said as much to the other two women.

Elsa looked haunted. ‘It’s the only thing that makes sense. I know Lilith is old, but I do believe she could make it down those steps if she had to, so there must’ve been another reason for her to stay behind – and one that Suzie didn’t agree with if Callum was having to drag her to the shelter.’