There was talk of National Service coming in for young men aged eighteen, who would serve in one of the forces, so that the experience built up during the war would not be lost. But that was for the future, not yet settled, and Snowy thought there would probably be some sort of exemption, otherwise the colleges would be empty and medical men would have to be brought in from abroad, which would never do.

As he continued to gaze at the milliner’s window a woman came and stood beside him, staring at the window as he was doing, then turned to face him. ‘Wotcher lookin’ at, chuck?’ she enquired genially. ‘Don’t say she’s gorra new hat or two to sell? If so, I reckon I’ll be her first customer, ‘specially if she’s gorra blue one.’ She gazed up into Snowy’s face, her little dark eyes blinking rapidly. ‘I’s a trifle short-sighted. Can you see a blue hat in there?’

‘There’s nothin’ on display so far as I can see,’ Snowy said, peering through the small square of glass. ‘But the shop’s open; why don’t you go inside?’

The little woman sighed. ‘I reckon she’s sick of the sight of me,’ she said, lowering her voice. ‘I’ve been in and out of there ever since Christmas, ’cos me niece is gettin’ married in March. I gorra coat and skirt – real smart, they are – off of Mrs Hatchett’s stall in the market, but d’you think I can find a hat what matches? Norra chance! Still, I keep on tryin’.’

‘A wedding in March!’ Snowy said. ‘Still, by March some of the shops may actually be rebuilt, so I’m sure you’ll find something suitable.’ He gave her his most winning smile. ‘Good luck wi’ your search, missus.’

‘Ta,’ the old woman said, and entered Miss Foulks’s premises, shutting the door carefully behind her. Snowy stood for a moment, smiling to himself. His father always vowed that Liverpool people were the friendliest in the world, and wasn’t it true? That little woman had questioned him as openly as though they had known one another for years, and he had answered in the same vein. And now he knew why little Tess whatsername had refused to invite him up to her flat to meet her gran. It was because she’d been away from Liverpool for six years and still had the stiff and starchy manners learned in some other part of the country. Satisfied that his charm had not let him down, Snowy turned away from the milliner’s shop and set off down Heyworth Street once more. I’ll keep a lookout for that young Tess, he told himself. She’s a nice kid, bright as a button by the sound of it, and she needs someone to keep an eye if those little cats have got it in for her. God, who’d ha’ thought girls could be such young horrors! But it’s like she said when she were tellin’ me about the horses; they may start off pickin’ on the new one, but it won’t last. For a start I’ll have a word with Marilyn, tell her she’s to keep the other girls off of young Tess.