‘She might have gone down the steps with Kathleen and Alice to look for Peggy, though I can’t believe Conor was right. I mean, who could confuse Peggy with a whore?’

Jerry shook his head. ‘I don’t know, it’s an odd one. I’m sorry for Maura that your return home has been spoilt by a haul, Tommy. Would have been nice if it could have been before you got here. Your wash house won’t be Maura’s own for a day or two.’

Tommy grinned. ‘Are you fecking kidding me or what? I’ve missed all this; it couldn’t be a better welcome home.’

After what felt like an eternity, Seamus let out the awaited whistle from the bottom of the steps to let Jerry know that everyone was in place and they were about to start unloading. The decision not to tell Paddy that Conor had seen Peggy down on the dockside had been taken by Tommy.

‘Nah, let the women go and check it out. They will be down and back up in twenty minutes.’

‘They’d better carry a few crates of rum each with them on the way back up,’ said Jerry and they both began to laugh at the thought.

‘I don’t know what you’re laughing at Jerry,’ said Tommy.

‘I’m laughing at what your mam and Alice would do to you if they heard you.’

*

Deirdre was washing the cups in Kathleen’s sink, Shelagh was drying and they were less than happy.

‘I’d just like to know what’s going on,’ said Deirdre. ‘We all go off looking for her, Kathleen pops into the pub to speak to Paddy and we all get sent back.’

Shelagh began to stack the cups and saucers. ‘Well, I suppose if that means they know where she is, so it doesn’t matter, does it, really?’

Mary was in the parlour, looking through the front window with Annie O’Prey and Biddy, who had heard Deirdre and shouted back, ‘We’ve got a job to do, Deirdre, you won’t be missing out.’

‘Look, Mary, there’s our Callum going down the steps. He’s strong, he is, can carry as much as two men together, he can.’

Mary saw Callum, lithe and quick, speak to Seamus, take his instructions and then disappear down the steps. She made no comment, but her heart stirred. Not in the way it had for Jimmy, but somewhere deeper and slower and she knew he was the one whose safe return she would be waiting for.

Deirdre came and stood next to them. ‘Has your da gone down, Mary?’

‘He has, he’s near the top though.’

‘He’ll be helping to run it round the back then, to Maura’s wash house.’