Blackie went to the cupboard, took out two cups and sat down opposite her. He noticed at once that she was looking sad. “Hey, my Emma, what’s troubling ye?”

“Well, it’s just…” She paused, stared at him, her worry now most apparent. Finally, she answered him, “I’m just a bit concerned about the baby not being christened.”

Blackie was thunderstruck, stared at her obviously uncomprehending, and then he began to laugh. Eventually, he calmed himself. “Why should that matter ter ye? After all, ye’ve been telling me for months that ye are an atheist.”

“I am!” Emma cried. “But I don’t feel quite right about it, and the baby might believe in God when she grows up, and she might be angry with me if she finds out she wasn’t baptized.”

Realizing she was being genuine, in earnest, Blackie said, “Go and see the Vicar at Christ Church.”

“Oh, I can’t!” Emma replied. “The Vicar would want her birth certificate. That is the custom. And since I don’t have one he’ll realize Tinker Bell is illegitimate. He cannot know that. No one can! Promise me you’ll keep my secret, Blackie, please.”

“Sure an’ I will, but are ye going ter say Winston, yer husband, is the father? ’Cos he’s far away on the high seas, according to ye.” He raised a dark brow questioningly.

“Of course not, but I could. I was pregnant when I came to Leeds, remember.”

“Aye, I did forget for a moment. Let me put me thinking cap on, mavourneen. Meanwhile, could ye pour the tea, please?”

She did so, biting her inner lip, suddenly growing more worried. Why hadn’t she thought of this before? One thing was certain: she wouldn’t put his name on the birth certificate. She did not want her child to ever have the name Fairley, let alone Edwin as her father.

The two of them sat in silence, drinking their tea. Suddenly Blackie sat up straight, as an idea came to him. “I’ve got the solution! We’ll have our own christening, I am thinking!” he shouted in a cheerful voice. “Bring me a bowl.”

“I don’t understand what you mean.” Emma’s brows came together in a frown. “Our own christening?”

“Since ye are so troubled about the bairn not being christened, I am goin’ ter do it meself.”

Disbelief flickered in Emma’s eyes. “Would it be proper? Would it be a real christening, I mean?”

“Sure and it would. I can do just as good a job as a vicar or a priest, for that matter. Though I’m a lapsed Catholic, I still believe in God, ye knows. God lives within us, Emma. Nowadays I feel him in my heart. I feel his love and his presence.”

Emma was absolutely astounded, so much so she remained silent, yet she knew he meant every word he said.