Tommy nuzzled her neck. ‘Mind if I nip down to the Anchor, queen? Let them all know I’m back like. Just for the one.’

Maura knew she could trust Tommy and that he would keep to his word, that it would be just for the one; nonetheless, her answer was unequivocal. She looked straight into his eyes and said, ‘No, you flamin’ can’t. You can get this lot unloaded into the house and get the fire lit – we left coal in the hole, if it’s still there – while I take the kids to Kathleen’s.’

Tommy leant over and whispered, ‘I’m not done with you yet, Mrs Doherty. Don’t think you are off the hook tonight.’

Maura elbowed him in the ribs. ‘Tommy, stop! Do you think I’m as big an eejit as you are?’

‘Ah, go on, Maura, will you? Let me have one jar, for I’m desperate to see Jer and it’s darts night, so they will all be in there. Can’t have the lads thinking I’ve snuck back like a thief in the night, can I? They’ll think I have something to hide. Let me be the big man for just one night, buy everyone a pint. Besides, I need to know what ships are coming in, what work is on. No time to waste.’

Maura was losing patience with him. ‘Something to hide? You have,’ she said, and there was no mercy in her tone. ‘Tell them about the monster, Cleary, how our Harry nearly died, and then there’ll be no question why we’ve come back home. Or, if you like, tell them that it rained for six months and we’ve all grown a set of gills.’ Her voice caught and she turned and looked out of the window, not wanting Angela to see the tears that had sprung into her eyes.

Tommy slipped his hand across her back and kissed her on the cheek. ‘You’re tired,’ he said. ‘Go on, Maura, just one pint and I’ll give you a treat when I get back home.’

Maura squirmed away from him. ‘Tommy, the kids! Do you have no shame? And have you not heard, big-man-buying-everyone-a-drink, a fool and his money are easily parted?’ Tommy grinned and kissed her on the neck again. This time she elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

‘Don’t you dare try and get your own way! No, Tommy, you are not going to the pub. You’ve lived in one for the past six months, it won’t hurt you to have a night off. Help me drop the kids at Kathleen’s and Angela and Niamh can sleep in the bed with Nellie, the boys on the floor.’