Peggy’s hand felt like ice in her own and she was shaking so violently Kathleen was half afraid she would shake them both over the edge. Peggy was completely unresponsive and, worryingly, staring down at the water. The bore was in, the level was high and then, just as Kathleen thought, Alice, where the hell are you? she heard her daughter-in-law arrive at a trot, closely followed by Blinks pushing a trolley.

Then Peggy whispered something Kathleen thought she had misheard. ‘What did you say, Peggy love?’

‘Kathleen, I had a baby, can you save her? And I’m sorry, Kathleen, but I have to go. Even Paddy will be better off without me.’

Just as Peggy shook herself away from Kathleen and shuffled herself to the edge, to slip into the water, two arms caught her from behind and she found herself being hauled six feet backwards to the concrete floor of the dock. Before either woman had time to speak, Blinks said, ‘Right, now you, Kathleen,’ and before she knew what was happening, Blinks did the same to her and stood her on her feet.

‘By God, you’re strong,’ said Kathleen, impressed.

He grinned. ‘Come on now, Peggy,’ he said and bent down again. Then, as though he were guiding and lifting a load from a crane into the ship’s hold, he placed Peggy on the trolley.

‘Hang on, hang on,’ Kathleen said. She had lived through the births of many unwanted babies, had persuaded women not to roll on their babies in their sleep, or leave them on the steps of the convent so she had recognised the voice of a mother in anguish when she heard it. ‘Peggy, Peggy, what did you say, you had a baby? Where?’

Alice was removing her coat to place over Peggy and Blinks, who had thrown some blankets over the handle of the trolley, was wrapping them around Peggy’s shoulders.

‘What baby, Peggy?’ Alice placed the coat over Peggy’s wet legs. ‘Kathleen, she’s rambling, she probably means one of the boys. We need to get Dr Cole.’

Kathleen was not convinced. ‘No, Alice, she’s distraught and she’s upset, but she’s not totally lost her mind. Also she said “she” and all Peggy’s babies were boys. Peggy, what did you mean, you had a baby? When? When did this happen, Peggy love?’

Peggy blinked and looked down at her hands. ‘I don’t know… Before, in the outhouse… We’re being thrown out onto the street, Kathleen, in front of everyone. They won’t let me keep her. The welfare will take them all off me.’

It was obvious, Peggy hadn’t taken in a word Kathleen had said. Blinks turned the trolley around.

‘Come on, Pegs, let’s get you back up the top, will we?’

Peggy was whimpering, ‘Let me go, let me go, please, that’s all I want to do.’