‘Well, we both know that’s not true. She started drinking while she was with me and it built up for years.’

‘Why did she drink so heavily, though? There must be some reason.’

‘How do I know why some people drink and others don’t? I was too busy earning a living, getting all the overtime I could so that Gail wouldn’t spend us into debt.’

‘You must have some idea of the reason why, Tom. Perhaps you didn’t love her enough. You should pray for guidance. The Lord will tell you what to do if you listen carefully.’

He sighed as he put the phone down. His mother’s faith was a wonderful thing for her, made her very happy, but he didn’t share it.

Jane, who was giving the children their supper, looked across the room at him in concern. ‘Not more bad news?’

He shook his head, looking meaningfully at the children. ‘Tell you later.’

When they were in bed, Jane didn’t go to her own flat, but came to join him. ‘Tell me to mind my own business, if you like, and I will. Or talk to me and I’ll listen. I don’t give advice unless people ask for it.’

He bowed his head and asked without looking at her. ‘Do you think I drove Gail to drink?’

‘Definitely not.’

He looked up in surprise, she sounded so certain.

‘Some people seem hell-bent on destroying themselves, Tom, love. That’s their fault, though they usually blame others. I didn’t drive my husband to drink, and as far as I could see you were a good husband and father, a good provider too. Gail is a weak reed. Some people just are. We help them if we can, but we mustn’t let them destroy us – especially, in this case, your children.’

‘I didn’t love Gail, though.’

‘Did you love her when you married her?’

‘Yes. Or I thought I did. But later, when she started drinking, when she got herself pregnant on purpose to keep me with her, it killed something in me. I couldn’t even touch her any more.’ He hesitated. ‘My mother thinks I should go back to Gail and try to help her.’

‘Your wife is an adult. She has to take responsibility for her own actions. No one can force alcoholics to give up the booze or keep them away from it if they’re determined to keep on drinking. They have to want to do that themselves.’

He thought of Jez, who smilingly refused a drink, and yet who admitted to having used not only alcohol, but drugs of all sorts. Jez had given it up. Could Gail? He doubted it. ‘I can’t bear to put the children in her care again. She wouldn’t mean to hurt them, but it’s a wonder she hasn’t already done so. If you hadn’t been next door, they’d often have gone hungry, because I couldn’t be there all the time and earn a living. But I’d still help her if I could only think what to do.’