‘Where’d you come from?’ she asked, keeping a keen eye on Suzie who was approaching an unmanned stall.

‘I’m living with the Haggartys,’ said Roz quietly.

‘I can see that,’ said the woman, ‘but where do you come from? I know you ain’t one of them ’cos as far as I know, that Callum only ever had the one child, and I can’t think another woman would’ve been foolish enough to lay down with him, even if her mother did.’ She jerked her head in Suzie’s direction. ‘And you certainly don’t sound like a Scouser, more like a German if I’m any judge.’

‘I’m from Frankfurt,’ said Roz absent-mindedly. She was wondering whether the woman was going to say any more about Suzie’s mother.

The woman stopped looking at Suzie, turning instead to concentrate on Roz. When she spoke again her words came out slowly. ‘Are you one of them refugees I’ve seen and read about in the papers?’

Roz nodded uncertainly. ‘Maybe, but they took a lot of photographs …’ She stopped speaking, for the woman had raised a hand to her mouth, her eyes tearing up. She gave Roz a look of deep sorrow.

‘Oh, you poor, sweet child. I can’t believe the Haggartys would stoop so low, not after all you’ve been through …’ She immediately snapped up a paper bag and placed a large loaf of bread and four iced buns inside, before handing it over to Roz. Then, checking that Suzie was still preoccupied, she handed Roz a fairy cake topped with icing sugar. ‘Get on the outside of that before that one sees you …’ she whispered, looking meaningfully in Suzie’s direction.

Roz frowned at the cake. ‘Sorry, but I don’t understand quite what you mean?’

‘Hmm?’ said the woman, distracted by keeping an eye on Suzie. ‘Oh, I see,’ she laughed. ‘Get on the outside of that means eat it!’

‘Oh,’ said Roz. She bit into the soft sponge, and smiled as the sugary sweetness of the icing engulfed her tastebuds. ‘Thank you,’ she said, her voice muffled through the thickness of the sponge. This was the first friendly act that Roz had experienced since arriving in Liverpool, and it felt good to know that not everyone was as awful as the Haggartys.

The woman’s eyes twinkled kindly at her. ‘Not to worry, just you make sure they treat you right, and if you have any bother with that Callum, just you come and see me. I’m Mrs McGregor, but you can call me Phyllis.’

Roz swallowed the mouthful of cake before speaking. ‘Thanks, Phyllis. I’m Rozalin Sachs, Roz for short.’