‘Come on, Peggy, shuffle your bum back. I’ll feel much better when your feet are out of that water and you’re upright. Let’s get you home.’

Peggy shook her head. ‘There’s no home to go to, I’ve lost it. I’ve been a terrible mother. My kids deserve better and they’ll be better off without me. Leave me alone, Kathleen, just go away.’ She finished on a sob and, in the reflected light from the water, Kathleen could see the tears rolling down her cheeks.

Kathleen let Peggy cry it out for a few moments and then tried again. ‘Peggy, I know all about it. About the letter from Heartfelt, about the bailiffs coming – and you’ve got nothing to worry about; we are going to sort it all out for you, me and Maura. She has a plan to make everything right.’

Peggy stopped crying and, looking up at Kathleen, she said, ‘But Maura’s not here. I’m lost without her, I did it all wrong.’

Kathleen patted Peggy’s back. ‘No you didn’t, Peggy. It’s not your fault your Paddy never went down the docks, it’s all his fault, not yours. You were managing the best you could.’ Kathleen got down and sat next to Peggy, and took her hand in her own. ‘The thing is, Peggy, and it’s my fault. I should have taken better care of you – and Jerry, he should have been firmer with your Paddy. I’ll tell you a secret, shall I?’ She looked sideways and saw she had Peggy’s attention. ‘They are going to make our Jerry the new gaffer on this dock and you know what that means, don’t you? It means every man on the four streets will be in work because they will get priority, for that’s how it works. And Jerry, he is going to make sure your Paddy is down there with him, give him a bit of responsibility, like. Put him in charge of the sheds.’

Kathleen looked out across the Mersey, at the shimmering moon, allowed her words to sink in, and then looking to her right and down towards Liverpool, she said, ‘I never knew how lovely it was down here. Really lovely, isn’t it? And I’ve other news for you that’s going to put a smile on your face: Maura is home for good and between us, her and me are going to sort out your rent arrears. Don’t worry, it’s a loan; you can pay us a back a shilling a week so you don’t have to feel like you’re in our debt. We will sort it for you, Peggy, and we’ll go to the pawnshop and get the kids’ shoes and your mam’s clock back.’