The cortège had grown longer and longer as people joined it all along the route until now there was a large silent crowd. Briony knew it was their way of lending support. Their way of looking after one of their own.

She swallowed down the hot burning tears with difficulty. She felt a soft touch and looked round to see Tommy standing beside her. Biting her lip, she held on to him, feeling the strength of him through her coat, feeling a peacefulness settle over her.

Father McNamara blessed the coffin, Briony threw in the first lump of dirt and a single white rose. All the sisters followed suit, even Rosalee. Molly had to be taken from the graveside, her wailing becoming hysterical.

As Briony stood by her sister’s open grave people filed past her, murmuring condolences. Everyone knew she had taken on Eileen’s boys. It was common knowledge, and proved once more that Briony Cavanagh was one of them, for all her money and her businesses. Local hard men paid their respects to her personally, looking out of place in their suits and clean shirts.

Tommy finally walked her from the graveside and over to his car. He drove her back to her house himself. In the car Briony shed the tears she had been holding back. Tommy let her cry, knowing it could only be for the good. Briony bottled up too much. She needed to let off steam. Then outside her house he took her in his arms and comforted her.

Briony, smelling the familiar smell of him, allowed herself to be held. Never had she felt so alone in all her life, and never had she been more grateful for Tommy’s company.

Molly was drunk, stinking drunk. She was so drunk she could barely move in her chair. Briony got Marcus and Tommy to carry her mother up to bed. She stripped Molly with difficulty and slipped the quilt over her. As she looked down on her mother’s swollen face she felt a tremor of love for her. Abel had taken his mother home earlier. Mother Jones would always come first with him, and Molly knew that and was hurt by it. Even at her daughter’s funeral, his mother had taken first place. Briony felt her mother’s pain as surely as if it was her own.

As she walked from the bedroom she saw Tommy standing on the landing, leaning against the wall.

‘Thanks for coming, Tommy, I appreciate it.’

He smiled, his familiar little grin, and Briony felt her heart lurch.

‘Would you like to see the boys?’

Tommy nodded and followed Briony into their room. He looked down at the two babies and laughed aloud. ‘Oh, Briony, ain’t they small?’

She nodded, placing a finger in each child’s right hand.

‘But they’re strong. They’ve got a good grip. Poor Eileen. Two beautiful children and she’ll never see them grow up...’