Those shells are just like me, thought George. If only she could look at me in the same way as the oyster shells, and see past my ugliness. He doubted it would happen though. He had to push his gloomy thoughts to one side.

‘I’ll be interested to see what you manage to make with clay pipes and oyster shells, but I’ll have a go at selling whatever you bring me,’ George said, and winked at Tommy.

‘Thanks, I’ll see what I can do.’

‘So if you haven’t found anything for me to sell yet, what brings you down here today?’ George asked, but he’d already guessed it was something to do with his mate on the next stall.

‘Nothing really. I just thought I’d have a mooch around,’ Sarah said, her eyes immediately going to Roger’s stall.

He must have sensed her eyes on him, because he turned to her with a smile.

‘Hello, Sarah.’

George thought he looked as if he was undressing her with his eyes, and wanted to tell him to bugger off, but instead bit his tongue.

‘Hi, Roger,’ she answered coyly.

‘Would you like an apple, Tommy? I’ve got some nice juicy ones.’

Tommy nodded enthusiastically, and Roger walked to his stall and returned with two large Coxes.

‘One for you,’ Roger said and handed Tommy an apple, ‘and one for the pretty lady.’

As he gave Sarah the apple, George noticed Roger’s fingers momentarily stroke her hand. He clenched his fists as his anger rose. Roger knew how he felt about Sarah. What sort of mate would step on his toes like this? He’d have words with him, but it would have to wait until later, when Sarah and Tommy were out of earshot.

On her way home, Sarah felt as though she was floating on air as she recalled the way Roger had looked at her. She’d found it difficult to meet his gaze, and had averted her eyes to the ground, sure he’d see her feelings in them. She bit into the apple he’d given her, and remembered the tingle of his touch on her skin. At the time, she’d quickly pulled her hand away, but now she imagined how it would feel to kiss him.

‘Fancy a cuppa?’ Mo called from over the upstairs banister as soon as they stepped into the hall. She had moved back up to her own room when Samuel was away longer than expected, and so far, thankfully, there hadn’t been any further trouble from her family.

‘Can I go out to play?’ Tommy asked, tugging on her arm.

Sarah had been happy to see Tommy had made some new friends, but they had work to do on the Thames banks. ‘Yes, but only for ten minutes. We’ve got to go treasure hunting again.’

‘Oh, but I want to play with Micky and Larry …’