‘That’s bloody marvellous, Sarah. I’ve never been in trouble with the law before, none of my family have. I wasn’t charged with nothing, but that’s not the point. Knowing people think that about me is horrible, but now the old girl realises I’m innocent and it’s her own flesh and blood what stole from her … ha, it’s sweet revenge.’

‘I’m sorry, Jenny. Mrs Alderton-Steele doesn’t want any of this getting out. She said if it does she’d instruct her solicitor to go after the person responsible for defamation of character.’

‘Bloody hell. What’s that?’

‘I dunno, but it don’t sound good. We wouldn’t want to go up against someone with her sort of money. We wouldn’t stand a chance against her fancy lawyers.’

‘Well, in that case, I ain’t going to open me mouth, and you should have a word with Doreen too.’

‘Don’t worry, I will,’ Sarah said.

With nothing else to say on that subject, they spent another half an hour wandering the estate reminiscing about the fun times they’d shared as children, until Sarah suggested they went back. She wanted to collect Tommy and then head for the market.

She had business to discuss with George, and hoped to see Roger too.

The morning had flown by, but it always did on busy Saturdays. George hadn’t seen Sarah for a while, not since he’d dropped the bombshell question and been rebuffed. It hadn’t been easy, but he’d picked himself up, dusted himself down and was smiling again at customers on his stall. He thought he’d got over her rejection, until he spotted her in the crowd heading his way. Nothing had changed. As always, his stomach flipped and his pulse quickened. For Gawd’s sake man, pull yourself together, he told himself, and stretched out his arms to scoop up Tommy, who had run towards him.

‘George,’ Tommy squealed, ‘can I come and live with you again?’

‘I reckon Sarah would miss you too much. Ain’t that right, love?’

‘Yes, I would, and hello, George,’ she said with a warm smile.

As Tommy’s arms tightly squeezed his neck, he looked over the boy’s shoulder and noticed Sarah was wearing new clothes that she hadn’t bought from his stall. Her fashionable straight skirt with a high-necked red blouse tucked in emphasised her small waist. He thought she looked stunning in her high heels, which showed off her shapely legs, and he saw a few heads turn to admire her.

‘Mum said I can have an ice-cream. Do you want one too?’ Tommy asked him as George placed him back down. The lad was growing, and George could feel how much heavier he’d become.