During the few brief minutes they’d been on their own, she had put on a brave face. She’d talked of anything and everything and had responded to Alfie’s jokes as always. Now she listened to his plans for their future together in America, and wished to God the others would all go away so she could stop him before he went any further. Instead of which they were full of the news about Alfie, and constantly coming over and asking for more.

When at last the questions and the folk drifted away, Alfie gave her a meaningful wink. ‘Hey.’

She knew he was about to say something suggestive, but playfully feigned ignorance. ‘What?’

‘You know what.’

‘No, I don’t.’

He sighed and winked again. ‘Would you like to see me stripped for action?’

‘I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,’ she said, pretending to be offended.

Leaning closer, he whispered, ‘You and me… later?’

Molly simply grinned. Oh, how she loved him. ‘You’re a bad ’un,’ she said, and took a sip of her drink. After a moment she felt his eyes on her. ‘What now?’

He hunched his shoulders. ‘Nothing.’

‘Are you ready to leave?’

‘Not yet.’

‘Well, what then?’

‘Are you all right, sweetheart?’

‘Yes, why?’ But she wasn’t all right. Far from it.

‘It’s just that, well… I’ve never known you so quiet. What’s wrong? Is it your mam? I’ve been thinking, I’d like to come with you to the hospital tomorrow night after work. I know she hasn’t wanted any visitors, and I can understand that, but now that you say she’s out of the woods…’

Molly gave a wry little smile. Oh yes, her mam was out of the woods all right… out of the woods and out of their lives. ‘It’s not that,’ she sighed.

‘So, what is it?’

For one frantic moment, it was on the tip of Molly’s tongue to tell him the truth about her mam and everything else that went with it. But this wasn’t the place or the time. Her courage failed. A moment later, when he asked her if she was ready for off, she nodded gratefully.

It was half past ten when they left the pub. Outside, the weather had taken a turn for the worst, with the breeze blowing up to a cutting wind, and the skies full of rain clouds. ‘Looks like the summer’s well and truly over,’ Alfie said, turning up the collar of his jacket.

How right he was, Molly thought. The summer was definitely over – in more ways than one.

Strolling back to Victoria Street, he drew her close to keep her warm; the touch of her body against his sent a thrill right through him. ‘You’re doing things to me,’ he whispered, and guided her into a darkened doorway. ‘You drive a man crazy.’

Pressing her to the wall, he murmured passionately, ‘I love you, Molly, more than you’ll ever know.’ For a long, wonderful moment he looked into her eyes, those pretty blue eyes that seemed so deep and mysterious tonight.