‘You need to go,’ he said, suddenly all businesslike. ‘The sirens could go off again any minute and Brummie’s waiting for you at the bank. He could get the sack for this.’

‘But … but what about you?’

He shook his head, distracted. ‘No, there’s something I’ve got to do. You get out of here, Maggie, do you hear? Get out!’

It hurt as much as if he’d struck her. Just when he’d found her, he was leaving her alone again.

She wanted to argue with him but he looked determined. ‘I’ll see you back there, then?’ she said. ‘At Snowden?’

But he was shaking his head, starting to walk away.

‘Ray!’

He twisted around to face her but he was still walking. He was walking backwards. He’d taken his trilby off and he was pointing it at her. ‘Do you think he’s good enough for you, Maggie?’ he yelled.

What? He knew! And it hit her then, why he’d come to find her. Ray knew about her and Jack and he wanted to put her off marrying him. She shook her head. No, she wouldn’t listen. She’d spent half the night working it out. Her decision was like a little sparrow, perching on a tiny branch. Ray Maguire wasn’t going to knock it off; her mind was made up.

‘Because he’s NOT!’ It was Ray’s parting shot. He’d turned again, rammed his hat on, shoved his hands in his pockets. He was striding away.

Maggie started to lose sight of him as he disappeared into the crowd. She ran after him, dodging people, knocking elbows.

‘Oi, watch out!’ a woman shouted.

‘Steady there, Miss!’ a man said.

Finally, she reached him, grabbed his arm and swung with all her weight, pulling him to a halt.

She was out of breath. ‘It’s all right for you, Ray Maguire, fella-me-lad, laugh-a-minute!’ He was staring at her, stony-faced. ‘Some of us have people to worry about and look out for,’ she said. ‘We can’t all be carefree! What are you gonna do? Laugh and joke your way through the whole blimmin’ war?’

He looked at her in astonishment and apparent disbelief. ‘Ha!’ He did a kind of mock laugh. ‘Is that what you think?’ He bit his lip. ‘You really think this is a laugh? That I don’t worry? Don’t you think that maybe the only reason I find something to laugh about is because, if I don’t, I might start blubbing and never stop?’

She shook her head. No, she couldn’t bear it. Not him, not Ray. If Ray felt fed up and scared, like the rest of them, then there was no hope. No hope at all.