‘Unrequited love put paid to Nora,’ Duval had said, But Nora and Chavez? It just didn’t seem possible.

‘I shouldn’t have kept all this stuff, I know I shouldn’t.’ She knots the bag and slips in a small silver cross. ‘It wasn’t rightly mine, but they was just babies and this crap meant more to me than it ever could to them so . . .’

The significance of what she’s saying begins to penetrate my sore head. ‘These belonged to your children?’

‘Broke my heart when they got taken away.’ She stares at the wall. ‘But I looked after them best I could, I swear.’

‘How many children did you have?’ I try to exorcize the note of incredulity from my voice.

‘Three girls and two boys, and so help me God, I loved each and every one of them.’

I feel overcome with pity. Poor thin Nora, abandoned mercilessly by Chavez, her children taken by welfare.

‘Didn’t Chavez support you, give you any money?’

‘Sure he did,’ she answers defensively. ‘Paid up fair and square. What do you think I bought this place with?’

‘But he didn’t mind, he didn’t . . . you know . . . want to keep them?’

‘He knew they were going to a better life, and damn him he was right. I couldn’t give ’em the life they deserved. Wouldn’t have been fair. Still, I’d have given anything not to let ’em go.’

‘Nora.’ I struggle to say the right thing. ‘It’s not your fault you couldn’t afford to keep them.’

‘Keep them!’ she guffaws. ‘That wasn’t the problem, girl, I couldn’t afford to buy ’em!’

I turn very slowly and look at her. ‘Nora, what are you talking about?’

‘What are you talking about, girl? I think that knock on the head’s making you speak crazy.’

‘Are you saying these weren’t your children? I mean you didn’t . . .’

There’s another bark of laughter. ‘Hell, I didn’t birth ’em, if that’s what you’re stuttering over. I was just looking after them for him until the adoptions got sorted.’ She takes in my utterly blank look of shock. ‘They was border babies. Orphaned on crossings. Chavez had a soft spot for ’em. Wanted them to go to a decent home. Always did what he could for them and usually on his own dollar, too.’

I find I am not breathing. Chavez tidying up his brother’s messes. Keeping his own house in order. I clear my throat. ‘Nora, what happened to them, do you have any idea?’

‘How would I know? It was a long time ago.’ She shrugs. ‘Some would have left home by now, some might still be at college, I s’pose, but I lost touch with ’em in the end. For all I know I could be a grandma by now.’ She chuckles. ‘Me, Nora, a grandmother!’