‘I know what you mean,’ Snowy said slowly. ‘I remember someone saying something once . . . Yes, I rather think we ought to insist that Tess waits until her gran is better and can decide for herself how to go on. There’s someone called an almoner – I think that’s the word – in every hospital, who helps patients sort out such things. If Tess asks her to, she’ll call on Mrs Williams and help her with her affairs. She may get a grant to pay the rent on the flat . . .’

‘I doubt she’ll do that; they’re under notice to quit, because the landlord thinks he has found someone who will take on the flat as well as the hat shop,’ Albert said. ‘Though there are another three weeks before they actually need to leave the premises. Mrs Williams and I have toyed with the idea of taking the shop on ourselves, possibly to get Change of Use and start an ice cream parlour, but we would need a large loan from the bank and we’ve not even approached them with the idea yet. If we did that it would mean that Tess would have a built-in job, so to speak, though she would have to get some experience first. But as it is, I can’t see a bank loaning us the setting-up money whilst Edie is so obviously incapacitated. What do you lads think? Could Tess and Edie run such a place if the bank consented to give us a loan? And how long would they give us to pay it back?’

The three of them talked over the problem at some length, finally deciding that it must be Albert’s first task, as soon as he had a moment free, to approach the bank, though Snowy asked rather curtly why he had not already done so.

Albert felt heat rise to his cheeks. Honesty would be painful, but it would be best in the long run. ‘I’m afraid I’m not a very brave man,’ he said apologetically. ‘Taking on responsibility for a new venture terrifies me. I was all right when it was just a dream, something Edie and I talked about when we went off on our coach trips, but as soon as it became a real possibility, I simply shut it out of my thoughts. I say, hasn’t Tess been rather a long time? Suppose she can’t find the folder? It’s not like Edie to leave something as important as documentation lying around loose. I wonder if I should go round to the flat.’

‘No point,’ Snowy said at once. ‘Sit down, Mr Payne, and let’s talk seriously about Tess getting some sort of full-time job and putting off her examinations until Mrs Williams is well again.’