The men were roaring with laughter and Lenny joined in although he caught Reggie’s eye and smiled, shaking his head at the way Freddie carried on. Reggie Dornan was laughing hard with everyone else but Lenny could see that, like him, he found the story irritating really. These kinds of tales were outdated now. Nevertheless, Freddie could make a cat laugh and that was his secret: he was a genuinely funny man.

Lenny walked outside to get some air. It was like a sauna in the bar, and he felt the need for a bit of quiet. He had drunk more beer than he usually did and he felt light-headed. Reggie followed him, and they stood round the side of the pub, smoking together.

‘I just wanted to say thanks, Lenny. For giving me the chance, like. I needed a fucking job, you know? I was boracic.’

Lenny shrugged. ‘Plenty more where that came from, mate. You did good. Jason Prior wasn’t an easy first. But it did the job in more ways than one, see? Jack is inundated with difficult debts now. That will be me and you sorting the harder ones. You are up for this, I take it?’

Reggie looked into Lenny’s eyes and smiled slowly. ‘What do you fucking think?’

Lenny grinned.

‘My mum’s over the moon, so I had to put the hard word on her. I don’t think I will ever make her exactly respectable, but I told her to sort herself and the fucking kids out. She had them – she has no choice but to take care of them. I was fuming that Gerry – my sister Geraldine – was nearly put on the bash by that cunt Prior. I really gave Mum hell to pay over that. But she is what she is.’ He shook his head.

Lenny knew Reggie was ashamed of his family and he was trying to let Lenny know that he was aware of their status. He was doing everything he could to try and bring some kind of normality into his brothers’ and sisters’ lives. Lenny would have done the same thing. He grabbed the man’s shoulder and squeezed it, saying, ‘You are a good bloke, and now you’re in with us lot you should find it easier to get things done. As for your mother, she is a lost cause, I think. You will have to concentrate on the kids – that’s all you can do.’

Reggie put his hand over Lenny’s and squeezed it gently. ‘I do appreciate this, mate.’

It was said low, and Lenny pulled away quickly. He felt embarrassed suddenly and, laughing, he said loudly, ‘Bit pissed, I think, don’t you?’