Bertha rolled over, laughing. ‘No it’s not,’ she said, and told Eddie, ‘Molly’s pretending.’

Whereby she tickled their tummies and got them both helpless with laughter. ‘You found me out,’ she chuckled as she crawled out again.

‘You keep an eye on Eddie,’ she told Bertha. ‘I’d best get the washing in before the rain comes.’ Like Rosie, she had seen the storm clouds closing in fast.

She was coming up the yard steps when Rosie herself appeared. ‘Here, let me give you a hand.’ Taking a heap of washing from over Molly’s shoulder, she told her, ‘You’d best get yourself off down the street and on that tram afore the heavens open.’

Molly took her advice and was soon ready. ‘I’m sorry, you two,’ she told the youngsters, ‘but I need my coat.’ When Bertha looked at her with big cow eyes, she took her dad’s old khaki coat from behind the scullery door and threw it over them. ‘It’s better than mine,’ she said. ‘It’s bigger.’ And they were happy enough.

‘Eddie will need his napkin changed,’ she told Rosie. ‘I meant to do it myself, but I thought it best to fetch the washing in first… I didn’t realise what the time was.’

‘Away with ye!’ Rosie ushered her out the door. ‘Have ye got your purse now?’

‘I have.’ And to prove it, Molly waved it in the air.

‘And something in case you get caught out in the rain?’

Molly showed her the umbrella she’d collected from the front parlour. ‘Now will you stop fussing?’ But it was so good to have somebody fussing over her, and Rosie was such a sweetheart.

‘Right then. Leave me to the young ’uns and get away down the street, will ye? Get a move on, for goodness’ sake. You’ll miss the tram, so ye will!’

Molly ran all the way. Even so, the tram was already in. With one last spurt of energy she hopped on board.

‘Another minute an’ we’d have been gone.’ The conductor was a familiar face; with little clumps of ginger hair sprouting out like carrot-tops all over the top of his balding head, and a cheery word for everyone, he always brought a smile to Molly’s face.

‘Morning, Horace,’ she answered. ‘How are you today?’ Falling into the nearest seat, she fished threepence from her purse and handed it to him.

He clipped her ticket and laid it in her open palm. ‘Not as bad as yesterday,’ he answered with a grin. ‘But better than I’ll be tomorrow, I expect.’

‘Why’s that?’ Fidgeting about, she made herself comfortable.

“Cos tomorrow I’ve to see the dentist and have two teeth pulled.’ He grimaced. ‘I’m not looking forward to it, I can tell you.’

‘I don’t blame you.’ Molly shivered; she hated the dentist. ‘I only go when I really have to.’

‘Hey!’ Wagging a finger, he laughed. ‘You’re supposed to cheer me up, not frighten me even more.’

‘Sorry.’

‘But then you’ve got beautiful teeth.’ He saw that every day in her lovely smile. ‘Mine are falling apart,’ he moaned. ‘Rotten inside, crumbling outside.’