Then suddenly Peggy felt water run down her legs. ‘Oh, Jesus God in heaven!’ she exclaimed, her eyes stretched wide, both hands on her back in an attempt to suppress the huge ache that had suddenly seized her.

‘What, Mam?’ asked little Paddy.

‘Nothing, Paddy,’ said Peggy, ‘I’m caught short, that’s all, and I need the outhouse.’

The children were so eagerly stuffing chips and saveloy into their mouths that not one had noticed the puddle of water on the floor. The deep ache came again, sharper and longer. Peggy, in a state of confusion, walked towards the back door, her slippers soaked and squelching. She had to get to the outhouse as quickly as she could, biting down an all-consuming urge to scream.

And with it, Peggy was thinking: no, no, no, please God, no, this isn’t happening, it can’t be! But she also knew that no amount of denial would alter a thing; she was about to deliver a baby! She had done it many times before and the pressing urge, deep in her abdomen, was unmistakeable. She shivered, feeling as though ice was running through her veins, and nausea consumed her as she lunged towards the back door. Her sons, high on the excitement of hot food, had not noticed her dilemma, not even little Paddy.

Peggy reached the outhouse door and looked over the wall at Maura’s empty house, feeling a powerful need for her friend. She blinked when she saw Kitty at the upstairs window. She often did, but had never told Kathleen or anyone else, in case they thought she was going mad, but she had no time to think about that now; she was panting furiously, out of breath, a baby was coming and it was coming fast.

Chapter Sixteen

Eric had hoped he could slip out of the dairy and in through the doors of the Anchor before Gladys arrived back from her sister’s over in the Wirral. Cindy’s words had barely left his mind since he had been in her shop. ‘Don’t forget, you know where me and Reg are if you fancy a drink and a natter, we’ve only got one life, Eric.’

One life… those words… His breath caught in his throat as he placed a kiss on the warmth of Daisy’s neck. Was this it for him, this one life, lived in dread and fear of stepping back indoors? Spending more time in the stable with his horse than any man should? Counting the minutes until he could make an excuse to head to his cold and lonely bed in the back of the house? As though sensing his thoughts, the mare bent her head and pushed her nose against his shoulder.

‘Oh, Daisy,’ he said, ‘thank goodness I’ve got you. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for the very best girl in my life.’