Unexpectedly, Eileen remembered something and sat up straighter in her chair. ‘Oh goodness, Pat! I forgot to tell you—’

‘What did you forget?’ he asked mildly.

‘The message from Mrs Burton. She has another job for you, the windows over her garden. The sashes have gone.’

‘Oh, to be sure, I don’t want to go back there again. I’ve had it with that house. Do you have the note?’

Eileen said, ‘She didn’t send a note. She sent her housekeeper, Jeannie Gregson, who explained about the windows.’

Patrick stiffened and looked at Eileen swiftly, but she had not noticed. He attempted to keep a bland expression when he said, ‘I suppose I shall have to go around there, but it can wait until Monday. I want us all to enjoy Blackie’s first weekend here.’

Patrick Kennedy was unable to fall asleep. He lay on his right side, wide awake, staring at the window. The message from Mrs Burton had surprised him, filled him with alarm. Mrs Burton herself was a fine woman and a good customer. He had been pleased to win her custom. It was her housekeeper Jeannie Gregson he could not abide and hoped never to see again.

She had come after him, thrown herself at him from the first moment they had met. He considered her to be wanton and dangerous, and had always avoided contact with her when working at the house.

Yet there were moments when she would, suddenly, be right next to him, brushing up against him, touching his shoulder or his arm, offering him tea, water, a glass of beer. As if he would actually drink on the job in his client’s house. The woman was a fool.

When he knew she was not aware of his presence nearby, he watched her, in particular her behaviour with the other workmen employed by Mrs Burton. Jeannie Gregson was not the same with them. She was remote and had no interest. It was him she was after. So, therefore, he must avoid her at all costs.

Suddenly, his whirling thoughts settled on his nephew. Under no circumstances could she meet Blackie. Firstly, he was a good-looking young boy at thirteen, and that was the inherent problem. Secondly, he looked older, about sixteen, even seventeen, and had an extremely confident manner. These things would make him bait for a woman like Jeannie Gregson.

He knew instantly that he would not accept the job. He hated to turn work down, never trusting where the next penny would come from, but he had plenty on at the moment, and he certainly wasn’t going to take Blackie to Mrs Burton’s house, expose him to that vulture.

On Monday morning he would write a note to Mrs Burton, telling her he was booked up for months on end. He would send Benny, one of his apprentices, with the note.