‘I’m not her pet and I think for myself as you well know. There’s nothing wrong with wearing make-up and dancing and the rest, but you know your reputation will be ruined if you live as Daniel’s wife without being married. Men can do it, have mistresses and all that, and they’re just considered a bit of a rake and a Casanova, but it’s different for lassies. And I’m not saying that’s right because it isn’t, but it’s how things are. But the main thing, the important thing, is that Daniel knows all that and he shouldn’t have asked you.’

‘He said you’d be like this. He said you’d be jealous because it’s me he loves and not you.’

Ruby stared at Ellie in amazement, hurt uppermost. ‘Do you believe that?’

Ellie had the grace to look discomfited. ‘No,’ she muttered, and then more strongly, ‘no, I don’t, but it’s your own fault he thinks like that. You’ve never let him get to know you. I’ve told you he’s suggested several times we could go out in a foursome with one of his pals, but you wouldn’t. You’ve only met him twice.’

Twice was enough. Ruby remembered the first time she’d seen Daniel Bell. She had gone with Ellie to a cafe in the town to meet him as Mrs Duffy flatly refused to allow a young man over the threshold of her house. She had been all set to like the lad who Ellie seemed clear mad on, and at first sight he was well-dressed, dapper even, and certainly handsome enough, with his blue eyes and blonde hair. He had been sitting at a window table waiting for them and had stood up as they’d entered, smiling and raising his hand. Ruby had noticed then how his teeth marred his good looks. They were discoloured and one or two appeared broken.

He had bought them both a cup of tea and a sticky bun but within a minute or two of sitting down Ruby had thought, he’s bumptious, cocky even, and he certainly has a big idea of himself. There was no doubt he was silver-tongued and he had set out to charm her, which had the opposite effect, especially when he had let his hand rest on hers a mite too long when he had passed her the sugar, but it was more the way he had looked at her that had unnerved her. The only way she could explain it to herself was that he made her feel as though she didn’t have any clothes on, that he had stripped her naked in his mind.