She felt her jumper being pushed up and his long, strong fingers reaching to cup her breast. With the tip of his tongue he teased her nipples.

She did not resist when he took off her stockings, then her panties, and now he was on her, naked from the waist down, hard against her thigh. A few moments and then he was inside her. Warm and thrilling, he moved her body with his.

At the height of their passion Molly looked into his eyes, and her love for him was all-consuming.

Afterwards, when passion was spent and cold reality took hold, Molly was swamped with guilt. Silently, she dressed herself, unable to look her lover in the face, knowing what she must do. And now it was a thousand times worse.

Going to the dresser, she took out a jar of elderberry wine, bought from some old Romany woman and never opened. ‘Want some?’ Holding up the jar, she took two glasses from the cupboard.

Alfie quietly regarded her for a moment. ‘No, thanks.’ Pulling on his trousers, he thought how tense she seemed tonight. It worried him.

When a moment later she came to sit beside the fire, glass in hand, he sat astride the chair-arm and looked down on her with troubled eyes. Voicing the question that was playing on his mind, he asked softly, ‘Is there something you want to tell me?’

Raising her drink, she gulped it down, gasping aloud when the fiery liquid scalded her throat. She had hoped it might give her the courage she needed, but it only left her empty.

In another minute her whole life would change for ever. If only her mam would miraculously walk in through that door, everything would be all right. She even glanced up at the door, as though to greet her.

Convinced there really was someone there, Alfie spun round. He was bewildered by her behaviour.

‘What’s wrong with you?’ he asked. ‘You’ve been strange all night, and now I ask you a question and you can’t even give me a straightforward answer.’

The tears burned behind her eyes but she mustn’t let him see. ‘I’m sorry.’ It sounded so inadequate.

Alfie grew afraid. He could see the tears in her eyes and the slight tremble of her hand as she brought her glass up again. ‘No more, Molly!’ Taking the wine from her, he placed it on the table. ‘Not until you tell me what’s going on, and I’m not leaving here until you do.’

Folding her hands one into the other, she stared at the fire. ‘You’re right,’ she answered, ‘I have got something to tell you. The trouble is, I don’t know how to start.’

‘At the beginning is usually a good place.’ The anger spilled over into his voice.

Taking a deep breath, she got out of the chair and began pacing the floor. ‘It’s about you and me,’ she began hesitantly. ‘I can’t wed you, Alfie. It’s all got to be cancelled – the wedding plans, me going to America with you. I can’t be part of it, not any more.’