‘One man and one woman, you mean,’ Albert said airily. ‘And not one mother and one grandfather. And now we must be going, because we’re having Mitch and Elsie round for tea.’

Mitch and Elsie, scrubbed and brushed and in their best clothes, helped in the preparation of a huge high tea and showed off their presents. Albert and Edie saw them home at eight o’clock and reminded them that they were all to go to the pantomime the following day. Then they returned to the flat and slumped in the creaking old basket chairs on either side of the hearth. ‘Phew!’ Albert said. ‘What a day it’s been, my love. I dare say you’ve guessed what’s in this little box.’ He fished it out of his pocket and handed it to her. ‘I’m not trying to tie you down, it’s just the prettiest thing . . . Oh, open it, for God’s sake.’

‘And my gift is so mundane,’ Edie said, opening the small box and revealing a pretty ring. ‘Oh, Albert, it’s lovely. Thank you so much! And now do open yours.’

Albert opened the tinsel wrapped parcel to reveal a thick sweater in navy blue wool. ‘I made it myself, which is why I had to keep hiding my knitting whenever you came into the kitchen unexpectedly,’ Edie said, but Albert was not looking at the jumper but at her.

‘Edie?’ he said softly. ‘That little ring is because I wanted a new way of asking you to marry me. If you slip that ring on your wedding finger it will save you having to say “yes, Albert”, because you seem rather shy of doing that. But I’m sick and tired of your dithering. This, may I remind you, is not the first time I’ve asked. I want an answer and I want it now. And it had better be . . .’

Edie began to say that she could not possibly give him an answer when her mind was so full of other things, but then she raised her eyes to his and she saw his face as though for the first time, eyes alight with hope, mouth already curling into a smile. And Edie admitted at last what she had always known: that he was a good man, kind, supportive and totally honest; and in that moment she also knew that only a fool would turn away from him, turn him down. She opened her mouth to speak but Albert was smiling, his arms held out. He had read her answer, she realised, in her expression, and as she slipped the ring on her finger she gave a tremulous smile.

‘Oh, what will Janine say?’ she asked. ‘She won’t be very pleased, you know.’

Albert’s smile was wall to wall sunshine. ‘Blow Janine!’ he said. ‘This is our life, and I can’t wait to start living it!’

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