Joyce shook her head slowly. ‘I haven’t been here all this time. At first I was working as a lady’s maid in Norfolk.’

Suzie wrinkled her nose in a disbelieving manner. ‘A likely story! How would you get a job somewhere you’d never been?’

‘Elsa Johnson made all the arrangements,’ said Joyce. ‘She was friends with—’ She got no further – apparently this was more than Suzie could stand.

‘That cow Mabel!’ she shrieked. ‘That total utter bitch, she knew where you were but she never said?’

Joyce hastily shook her head. ‘No, luv, Mabel didn’t know a thing about it, just her mam and me, it was our secret. I didn’t want your father getting wind of where I was …’

‘Don’t patronise me, Mother!’ cried Suzie. ‘Mabel’s mam will’ve told her, and I bet she told you, didn’t she?’ She pointed an accusing finger at Roz. ‘I bet you all had a good laugh at my expense.’

Looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights, Roz held her hands up in a placating manner. ‘Not me, I knew as much as you …’

‘Liar!’ screamed Suzie before flouncing out of the room.

‘I’m so sorry about all this,’ gabbled Joyce to Roz and Adele as she hastily moved to run after her daughter, ‘you must think me awful.’

Roz caught her by the elbow and stared her straight in the eye. ‘I most certainly do not. I lived with that man and his mother, so I know full well what he’s like, and believe you me, the day he threatened to kill me?’ She shook her head. ‘He wasn’t joking. If you ask me you’ve had a lucky escape, and I think Suzie knows, it’s just going to take time.’

‘What a bloody mess,’ said Joyce. ‘Do you think I should go after her?’

Roz looked at Adele, who looked doubtful. ‘It’s a lot for her to take in; she might be better if left on her own for a while.’

When Roz spoke next, even she was surprised by the words which left her lips. ‘I could go and talk to her if you like? I know I’m not exactly her favourite person, but at least I know Callum and Lilith.’ She tilted her head to one side as another thought occurred to her. ‘Elsa said that Lilith was a victim of the bombings, of that they were certain, but what they didn’t know for sure was where Callum was. I wonder if that’s why Suzie has been wandering around Liverpool – perhaps she was looking for her father?’

‘Poor kid,’ said Joyce, her voice thick with tears, ‘she didn’t deserve any of this.’

Roz opened the door. ‘All I can do is try. If she won’t speak to me, I’ll see if she wants to speak to you.’