Jimmy hadn’t kissed Mary within sight of his brother; instead, he’d turned to her and flicked her ponytail, saying, ‘I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you, Mary. My mam gave out something wicked after your mam went to see her. And I mean, Jesus, it wasn’t like we were official or anything, was it? I mean, we was both only having a bit of fun. It’s the nineteen sixties – you’d think it was the dark ages the way your ma carried on.’

Mary had gasped, his words like an arrow that pierced her heart. Not official? But she thought that they had been. He had asked her to come to the house when Annie was out at the bingo, had kissed her a hundred times and she could remember every one. Not official?

‘If – if they… How long will you be gone for…?’ She’d had no idea what to say next, shocked by his disowning all that had passed between them as just a bit of fun.

‘Oh, don’t be worrying about me.’ He’d been looking towards the door of the Anchor, obviously wanting to get away to the bar. ‘If I do go down, it won’t be for more than a year at the most.’

She’d tried to speak, but the rock that had lodged in her throat stopped her.

‘Come on, Jimmy, let’s go inside before you get Mary into any more trouble. Mary, your da, he’d be down here if he knew.’ And Callum had walked over and taken his brother by the elbow to lead him away.

‘Will I wait for you?’ she’d asked, but she was speaking to Jimmy’s back. He hadn’t so much as touched her. The pub door opened and Jimmy had been swallowed by the noise and the smoke.

Callum had marched over to her. ‘Mary, go home,’ he’d said and she felt instantly ashamed of the tears that were rolling unchecked down her cheeks. ‘He’s my brother, but he’s a baddun, he’s half-mad and everyone knows it. There’s no taming Jimmy. Go and find yourself a nice fella, one who deserves a lovely looking girl like you.’

And as Callum had walked away, her humiliation was complete when Malachi and some of his friends appeared above the wall and her brother had called out, ‘Our Mary’s been chucked, our Mary’s been chucked,’ and they all ran away, chanting. That had been over a year ago and still there was no sign of Jimmy’s return, and every day she waited.

*

Malcolm walked out of the post office to find Biddy waiting outside. ‘Did you send it?’

‘I did and I have the receipt to prove it, here, look.’