He was so startled by his own thoughts that he exclaimed aloud, causing Snowy to swing round, several very pretty chiffon scarves draped across his arm. ‘Would your mam like one of these?’ he said, indicating the scarves. ‘Or doesn’t she go in for stuff like this? It’s summer so you won’t see much winter stuff about, but if I were buying for my mother I’d choose this pink one, because it’s her favourite colour.’

‘My mother likes blue,’ Jonty said. ‘But I tell you what, Snowy, is there a stall selling slippers? My mother’s had her present pair for years; I reckon she’d be delighted to have a bit of a change.’

Snowy grinned. ‘Any Liverpudlian would tell you that there’s nothing you can’t get on Paddy’s Market,’ he announced. ‘Follow me!’

The two boys had a successful morning and were getting along like old friends when, at a quarter to one, Jonty begged to be directed to Church Street, so that he might meet Tess and find out whether she now had yet another job.

‘We’re going to have lunch at Lyons Corner House,’ he disclosed. ‘That is, if the interview’s over by then. If not I’ll hang about for a bit; I suppose I might walk up towards Love Lane and hope to meet her, but it’s a bit risky; chances are we’ll miss one another.’

‘Right. Then we turn left here and keep going for a bit and at the next junction turn right,’ Snowy said instructively. He dug a hand into his pocket and examined his loose change. ‘Tell you what, if Tess doesn’t show, you and I can have a bite of lunch together. Of course, if Tess does turn up then I’ll make myself scarce, two being company and three a crowd.’

‘Oh, I’m sure Tess won’t care if she meets two lads instead of one,’ Jonty assured him. As they strode towards Church Street he glanced across at Snowy. ‘I remember Tess telling me something about a falling out she’d had with you, two or three years ago. Don’t say you still bear a grudge.’

‘Course not!’ Snowy said stoutly, but Jonty saw a betraying flush creep up his cheeks. ‘It was just . . . Oh, hell! The truth is, Jonty, that I behaved bloody badly. I had this girl, you see, Marilyn Thomas . . .’ He whistled softly. ‘Wharra smasher, as we say in these parts . . .’

He went on to explain what had happened and at the end of the recital they had reached Lyons Corner House and stopped outside, eyeing the hurrying crowds, many of whom pushed past them to enter the restaurant. Once, customers had been served by little waitresses known as Nippies, but since the war Lyons had become self-service. Jonty eyed the hurrying crowd but failed to pick Tess out until she was on top of them, flinging her arms round his neck in an exuberant hug. ‘Got it!’ she said exultantly. ‘I start next Monday and work from seven in the morning until seven in the evening for a month. After that I’ll be back at school, of course, but they’ll want me then from five until seven. The money’s not marvellous, but at least it will be regular.’ She tugged at his arm. ‘Come on, I’ll pay for your lunch, since I’ll soon be earning, but I’m afraid it’ll just have to be soup and a crusty roll. Oh, how I love those crusty rolls . . .’ She broke off, having apparently seen Snowy for the first time. ‘Well, what a coincidence,’ she said drily. ‘Fancy seeing you, Snowy White. Are you about to get yourself a meal? Because if so—’