Before Molly could go after him, she had to deal with the others. Bertha was inconsolable. ‘Why isn’t she coming back? Doesn’t she love us any more?’

Milly went into a sulk and Molly couldn’t get through to her. Eddie was crying simply because the others were upset, and she had to juggle her time between them all.

After a while, Milly came out of her sulk. ‘I don’t want her to come back now,’ she said coldly. ‘I don’t like her any more.’ And to Molly, that was worse than if she’d sobbed her heart out.

Bertha was teased out of her misery by the promise of a snowman. ‘You go out and make a start, and I’ll come out in a minute,’ Molly said, and the two girls went off, covered against the cold in woolly hats, thick stockings and winter coats. Muffled up and warm, Eddie went out, too.

Molly stole a minute to watch them from the top of the yard steps. When she was satisfied they seemed to have accepted what she’d told them, she went upstairs to Georgie.

Like all big boys, he kept his tears for when he was alone, and now she found him crying into his pillow.

Sitting on the bed, she made no move towards him. Instead, she assured him, ‘Your mammy does still love you all, but she had to go away. I’m so sorry, Georgie, but you know I’m still here for you. I’ll be your mammy for as long as you want.’ Lifting his face from the pillow, he crept along the bed to where she was sitting. For the briefest second he looked at her, the tears swimming down his face, and his eyes red raw. Then his mouth began to tremble and he was in her arms.

‘You won’t leave us, will you, Molly?’ he pleaded. ‘Don’t go away like Mammy did, will you, Molly? Don’t leave me.’

Her voice breaking with emotion, Molly told him she would never leave them. ‘Not for as long as I live.’

If she had any regrets about sending Alfie away, they melted in that little boy’s arms. ‘You’re my lad now,’ she whispered, ‘and I wouldn’t hurt you for the world.’

But she had hurt Alfie – and for that she would never forgive herself.

When Rosie came round with news of Alfie an hour later, she found Molly and the children laughing and playing in the yard. ‘You’re like a big kid, so ye are!’ she called down. ‘Now, Molly, I’ve something to tell ye, so I have.’

Leaving the children making the snowman, Molly made her way up to the scullery. ‘By! It’s freezing!’ Rubbing her cold hands together she took off her coat and scarf and draped them over the sink. ‘Now then, what’s all the excitement?’

Having dumped her coat and hat in the passageway, Rosie set about making tea, chattering away as she worked. ‘I’ve had another letter from Alfie. He’s in for his first big fight next week. They’re putting him up against a fella called Arnie Wild.’ Laughing, she quipped, ‘We’ve only to hope he’s not as wild as he sounds, eh? Oh, but what good news, lass. His grandaddy can’t sit still. Ever since we got the letter he’s been like a cat on hot bricks, and now he’s off down the Working Man’s Club to tell the others.’ She rolled her eyes to the ceiling.