The costermongers and shoppers looked wary, and quickly resumed their business as George stomped back to his stall. He began packing things away. With what he knew, he couldn’t stand there and ignore the situation. Roger might be right, Sarah probably wouldn’t believe him, but she trusted his mum. He just hoped his mother could get to Sarah before Roger did.

With Tommy back at school after the school summer holidays, Lena had offered to pick him up every day. It saved Sarah having to pay anyone to look after him, or having to be beholden to the woman who lived above her. Anyway, Lena enjoyed having the lad. These last few days, Tommy’s cough had been bad again, so she’d hoped an afternoon spent baking cakes and making pies with him would be a good distraction. Now, the boy and the kitchen were covered in flour. It had been good fun though, and she knew Albert would appreciate her efforts. He’d taken her to dinner on four occasions now, and her cake-making was a small gesture in return to say thank you.

‘Can I lick the bowl, please, Lena?’ Tommy asked.

‘Yes, as the chief cook you’ve earned that privilege,’ Lena answered. She envied her friends who had grandchildren, and would have loved some of her own, but with George still hankering after Sarah, she doubted it would be any time soon.

As Tommy ate the uncooked cake mixture, Lena began clearing away. She missed George being young, and though the shop had been good for her, she much preferred to stay at home and look after Tommy. It was nice to feel needed again, and she lavished affection on him, which was reciprocated.

Once Tommy finished with the bowl, she lifted him to the kitchen sink. ‘Wash your hands, there’s a good boy.’

Tommy giggled as water splashed his face. She adored hearing him laugh, and gave him a gentle squeeze, but then, to her surprise, she heard the front door slam. It must be George, but what was he doing home so early? She placed Tommy down and gave him a small towel to dry himself as her son came into the kitchen. His face looked ashen, and she could see there was something wrong.

‘I need a word, Mum,’ he said, and stalked through to the front room.

Lena quickly removed her apron and gave Tommy a small lump of left-over pastry. ‘Here you go, make some animal shapes,’ she said, then joined her son.

‘It’s about Sarah,’ George said with a stern face as he paced the floor.

‘I thought it probably would be,’ Lena answered. He hadn’t been the same since the girl had started seeing Roger, and though she wished he’d buck up, her heart went out to him.

‘I know for a fact that Roger is doing the dirty on her.’