They all turned as Scamp barked into the dark. ‘Who is that, Alice?’ said Kathleen. ‘I can hear footsteps.’

Scamp, obviously satisfied that Peggy was in good hands, ran off into the darkness with his tail wagging just as they heard a voice shout, ‘Peggy! Peggy!’

Peggy turned, blinking. It was Maura’s voice and Kathleen had said something about Maura, but she couldn’t remember what. They heard the running footsteps, Scamp’s excited barks. All eyes were on Peggy as Maura, guided by Callum, came into view and said, ‘I’m home, Peggy!’

Maura took in the scene. Peggy shaking, the dripping feet, water puddled on the concrete, the look on Alice’s face and her hand flew to her mouth.

‘Peggy, you weren’t! Why would you do that? I’ve found your baby, Peggy, your baby. She’s with Shelagh and, oh Peggy, she’s so beautiful, just like her mam.’ Maura fell to her knees and took the hands of her friend into her own, as tears filled her eyes. ‘I’m back in the house, Peggy, back to help. Jer and Tommy will make sure your Paddy is down the docks every day and we will pay the rent arrears; we know all about it and you aren’t going anywhere. I’m home to help you, Pegs, I missed you.’

Peggy looked into Maura’s eyes and she couldn’t believe what she could see. She wrapped her hands around Maura’s face. ‘Are you an angel?’ she said through a river of tears.

Maura, almost too choked up to speak, said, ‘No… well, I am if you want me to be. I can be your angel, Peggy.’ Then, on an upbeat note, ‘Yes of course I’m your angel, and everything is going to be just fine now. I hadn’t realised, Peggy, you just needed that little bit of help, didn’t you? And here was me thinking I was an old bossy boots and you would be glad to be rid of me.’ Then Maura sprang to her feet. ‘Peggy has a beautiful baby girl,’ she announced as she took her handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped her eyes. ‘What better homecoming present could I have than that, eh? Blinks, let’s get this trolley up to the top and Kathleen, we’ll knock on at the midwife’s on the way past. Come on, Peggy, put this on you, we are taking you home.’

Chapter Twenty-nine

The light flashed from the bottom of the steps to the top, the sign Jerry had been waiting for. ‘At last,’ he said, ‘let’s go. Fetch Paddy out of the pub, Tommy – he doesn’t get a drop if he doesn’t pull his weight. And they’ve found Peggy, praise the Lord.’