He hurried along the pavement, rehearsing in his mind what he would presently say to Edie. He would have to explain his daughter’s condition in front of Mitch and Elsie, but why should that matter? They would have to know in the end, and anyway, he thought they were unlikely to be much interested. Girls grew up and became young women, and young women had babies; both Mitch and Elsie would be well aware of the facts of life even if working in the pet shop had not taught them all about the birds and the bees.

As usual, the children were on the doorstep waiting to be let in when Albert arrived and greeted him cheerfully as they all entered the shop together and began to shed their outer clothing. When Edie joined them, her first question concerned Janine.

‘How’s your girl getting on?’ She lowered her voice, though the two youngsters were already cleaning cages and chattering away to one another. ‘She’s expecting, isn’t she? I imagine that’s why she’s come home . . . There’s nowhere like home when things go wrong.’

Relief flooded Albert; he might have known that Edie would have read the situation after a few minutes in Janine’s company, let alone a couple of hours! ‘Yes, that’s it,’ he said. ‘She didn’t want folk to know too soon, but I told her she was being daft so she agreed to go along to Brougham Terrace, to the clinic for expectant mothers, and then to wherever one goes to apply for a ration book.’

‘I dare say she’ll be busy all morning, if not all day,’ Edie said ruefully. ‘Has she left yet? Only I thought I might offer to go with her; it’s not much fun being hassled and pushed around by officials when you know you’re not looking your best, nor feeling it for that matter.’

‘She was still in her nightie when I’d finished my breakfast, but she’s coming here before she goes off because, as I told her, the Liverpool she used to know has changed considerably.’ He beamed at his friend, noticing that her beautiful wavy white hair was not strained back by a rubber band today but was loose on her shoulders, and she was wearing a touch of lipstick, possibly even a little powder. ‘It’s really good of you. If I offered to accompany her, which I meant to do, I’d stand out like a sore thumb and the last thing Janine wants is to be different.’ He hesitated, glancing towards the two youngsters, but they were still cleaning cages. Nevertheless, Albert lowered his voice. ‘But I do have a worry, Edie. I’m afraid Janine isn’t always truthful, and if she starts telling lies, pretending the father of her baby is a rich American or saying she’s the owner of a successful ice cream parlour in the States, then she could be in all sorts of trouble. I’ll warn her to stick to the truth, but if I’m not with her . . . Oh, dear, Edie, what a fix we shall both be in if she lies to make herself seem more interesting, and not just a silly little girl who’s got into trouble and fled from the results.’