She would have run out, but Jack told her to stay where she was. ‘I’ll see to him. There’s no need for you to come out in the cold.’

Amy watched the two men, deep in conversation. She saw Jack lean into the car and she saw him glance up towards her. When he smiled, she beckoned excitedly, and he began his way back.

Breathing heavily from the cold, he took off his long coat and hung it on the hallway dresser. ‘Apparently he had a terrible drive home,’ he told Amy. ‘There was a bad accident on the A5. It seems the traffic was held up for some time.’

‘What did he say?’ Amy could hardly contain herself. ‘Was Molly there? Did he give her the money? Was she pleased? Oh Jack… it will do so much for her and the children.’

Seeing her bright anxious face he didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth. ‘Everything’s all right,’ he lied. ‘He took the money and Molly was in. So now you can stop worrying.’

‘Did she send me a message?’

He shook his head. ‘No message.’

Amy’s face fell, then she was smiling again. ‘But she did get the money? That’s what he said, isn’t it? Molly was in, and she got the money.’

Not wanting to lie again, he merely nodded.

Like a child, Amy clapped her hands. ‘Oh Jack, that’s all I want to know. I didn’t expect a message, not really.’ But it would have been wonderful to know Molly had forgiven her.

‘Now, will you get ready and we’ll go to the club for an hour?’

She glanced at the clock. ‘It’s a bit late for that, don’t you think?’

‘Maybe you’re right.’ He slid his arms round her. ‘Let’s have a quiet drink here, just the two of us, and afterwards, an early night?’ He winked. ‘What d’you say?’

‘I say yes.’

‘And no hanky panky.’ He smiled down on her. ‘I’ve a string of business meetings in London tomorrow.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of it!’ she said in mock horror.

Later, when they walked across the hallway, he noticed the envelope jutting from his coat pocket on the dresser. ‘You go on up,’ he suggested. ‘I’m not sure whether I locked the back door.’

‘Don’t be long,’ she warned with a twinkle in her eye. ‘Or I might get fed up waiting.’

He patted her backside. ‘I’ll be quick as a wink.’

As she turned the corner at the top of the stairs, he hurried back to his coat and took out the envelope. Peering inside, he saw that not a penny had been accepted by Molly. ‘Yer a proud little sod, Molly Tattersall!’ he sighed. Then he took the envelope into the front room, where he tucked it neatly into his briefcase.

Lying to Amy had not come easy. But he knew if he had told her the truth, she would never have had a minute’s peace. ‘It’s better she doesn’t know,’ he told himself. ‘I’ve tried, and done my best. That’s all any man can do.’