‘Well, that doesn’t surprise me. I told you that man was trouble, just like his father. Do you know, his dad tried it on with me once? I slapped his face and he never spoke to me after that, but he’d have got a lot worse if I’d told your dad.’

‘Well, the apple ain’t fallen far from the tree, but you’re missing my point, Mum,’ George said, and sat on the armchair. ‘Sarah needs to know what he’s up to before she gets in any deeper with him, but it’s no good coming from me.’

‘Why not?’

‘Roger will deny it. He’ll probably say I’m jealous and trying to cause trouble between them. She’d believe you though, Mum.’

‘What, you want me to tell her?’

‘Yes, she’ll listen to you, you know she will.’

‘I don’t know, George. I don’t think it’s a good idea to get mixed up in other people’s relationships. I’ve dropped subtle hints about him, but she’s never taken any notice. She’s blindly in love with him, and she won’t thank either of us for interfering.’

George leaned forward and said earnestly, ‘So you think it’s best to just let her get on with it, even though I know she’s heading for heartbreak?’

‘Yes, I do, love. I know that’s not what you wanted to hear, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to get involved. Hopefully, one day soon she’ll see Roger for what he is, but until then, stay out of it.’

George leaned back in the chair, ‘Mum, you’re nearly always right about things, but I don’t think you are this time. If you’re not prepared to tell her, then I will.’

Lena could see the frustration in his face. His jaw looked tight and his eyes were narrowed. Although her son’s face was heavily scarred, she could read him like a book. If he’d had eyebrows, they’d have been knotted in a deep frown. ‘Well, I’ve said my piece. Just make sure you’re telling Sarah for the right reasons,’ Lena said, worried that her son’s good intentions would be misconstrued.

‘What do you mean by that? She’s my friend and I’m looking out for her. She deserves to know the truth.’

‘I hope for your sake she sees it that way,’ Lena said, then went back through to the kitchen to check on Tommy, all the while knowing that trouble was brewing.