‘Ask me again after the birth. One minute I want it, I love it to death. The next the thought of its colour and the effect it’s going to have makes me feel faint. I can’t answer you, Bern, ’cos I don’t know the answer meself.’

‘Well, whatever you decide, I’ll stand by you. And so will you, Bernie, won’t you?’

Bernadette nodded her head. ‘Of course. There’s a girl at the club, her baby’s with a woman in Devon. She travels down every couple of months to see her. The baby’s father is a married man, and she can’t hack the thought of people knowing she has an illegitimate child. She says the arrangement works well, ’cos the father coughs up the money like.’

Kerry sighed. ‘I don’t know if I could have the baby too far away. Oh, to be honest I don’t know what the fuck I want. I don’t know whether I want a shit, a shave or a shampoo, as the old man used to say.’

They all laughed then, the atmosphere lightening. Rosalee pulled on Briony’s sleeve and she said to her, ‘What, darling, what do you want?’

Pointing to the nuts, she opened her mouth, opening it as wide as it would go.

Bernadette and Kerry both started screeching with laughter, Kerry’s with a tinge of hysteria to it.

Briony picked up the bowl of nuts and said seriously, ‘Of course, madam. If madam wants the nuts, madam must have them, tout suite!’

Rosalee closed her mouth and Kerry shook her head slowly. ‘At least she knows what she wants, Bri, which is more than I do. Ain’t that right, Rosie darlin’?’

Rosalee clapped her hands together and made the deep-throated gurgle that meant she was happy.

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Briony ran through her front door like a lunatic. Pulling off her coat, she raced up the stairwell, shouting to Cissy over her shoulder.

‘Tea, hot and steaming. I’m freezing.’

Cissy picked up the full length silver fox coat and tutted to herself as she went through to the kitchen.

Briony went into Kerry’s bedroom where the midwife was making Kerry comfortable.

‘How are you, Kel, all right? I came immediately.’

Kerry lay against the pillows, her face shining with sweat. ‘I’m all right, Bri.’

The midwife wiped her face with a damp cloth. ‘This is a quick birth, I’ve seen the type before. One lady I had was up and over it all in less than three hours! She won’t go long. The doctor’s seen her and he’s coming back later, he’s got two emergencies. Christmas is always the same.’

Briony smiled at her. ‘Go down and get yourself a cuppa, I’ll stay with her.’