She nodded. ‘Yeah, the baby’s moving that’s all.’

‘You looking forward to having it?’

Eileen wiped a hand over her face and ignored the question. ‘I was thinking the other day about when Bernadette was ill that time. Do you remember? You was only small yourself. She had the whoop. I sat up all night with her because Mum was flat out herself. I sat with her little head over a bowl of hot water. I really thought she was going to die. But the next day she was all right. The doctor gave me a sweet. Said I was a good girl.’

‘I was the one going out in the freezing cold to fill the kettle, how could I forget that? I was only a kid meself.’

‘You was five and Bernie wasn’t even two. Dad wouldn’t go out any more. He said he had to sleep to get up for work. Mum was just plain knackered. I hated him for that because you know something, he wasn’t working, Bri. He lied, said he had a day’s work but he never. You walked in and out all night filling that bloody thing.’

Eileen’s voice was sad now and Briony kissed her cheek. ‘Don’t get maudlin.’

‘I was eight years old. That was the year of Mr Lafferty’s party. That was a great day, weren’t it? Two barrels of beer, and all the faggots and peas you could eat! He won a big bet, a really big bet, and blew nearly the lot on that party. The next day he lost the last of it on another bet!’

Briony grinned.

‘That was Mr Lafferty all right. His daughter married a Salvation Army geezer, and he disowned her.’

‘I always liked her. Mrs Lafferty was down the pop the day after the party to get enough money to feed her brood. Mum was scandalised that she hadn’t had the sense to raid Mr Lafferty’s pockets while he was drunk and salvage a few bob!’

Sister Mary Magdalene came in with the tray of tea and Briony poured them all a cup.

Eileen drank her tea scalding hot, gulping it as if she was dying of thirst.

Putting down her empty cup she grinned, and the sight made Briony want to weep. Her face was like a living skull.

‘I needed that. It’s funny, you know, but I feel a lot better. Much better, in fact.’

The nun patted her hand.

‘You’re looking and sounding better, if I might say so.’

‘Mary? While you’re here can I ask you to do something for me?’

The nun nodded. ‘Of course, anything.’