Viv bought herself a couple of dresses, then suggested they stop for a bit of pie and mash.

‘I was thinking we’d pop in the pub for a couple of drinks. Aggie only lives five minutes from here and I could do with a bit of Dutch courage to confront her,’ Queenie fibbed. She was determined to get Viv to open up and was hoping a couple of drinks might loosen her tongue. ‘We can get pie and mash after we’ve been to Aggie’s.’

‘We can’t go to a pub alone, Queen! Not on a Saturday lunchtime. It will be full of men. We’ll look like two hussies on the pull! What would Albie say?’

‘Oh don’t talk so daft. Times are changing, Viv. The men round ’ere would never have got through the Blitz without us women. We were the bloody strong ones. No man will bleedin’ well look down on us. I’ll give ’em what for if they do.’ Queenie grabbed her sister’s arm. ‘Come on.’

In the Grave Maurice, Albie Butler wasn’t having the best of days. Usually, he’d win one or two games of cards, but today, his luck was well and truly poxed. He sipped his pint of bitter. ‘My last game this one, lads. Queenie’s out shopping and I promised her I’d keep an eye on the boys. Michael’s out street-raking with Vinny and Roy today. I dread to think what they’re teaching him,’ Albie chuckled, rolling his eyes.

‘He’s a handful, your Vinny, ain’t he, Albie? Did you hear what happened at his school?’ asked Ronny Tobyn.

‘No.’

‘Beat seven bells out of the Big Bri Higgins’ boy. Apparently, Higgins’ boy is a bit of a bully, but your lad gave him what for. Ended up at the London with a broken jaw and nose. Never told his father what happened either. Said he’d fallen down the stairs.’

Albie felt his blood run cold. Big Brian Higgins was an ex-amateur boxer who now weighed about twenty stone. The man had a loud voice, a violent temper and Albie liked to steer well clear of him. He wasn’t a very nice person at all, especially when inebriated. ‘I doubt my Vinny had anything to do with his son’s injuries, mate. Vinny ain’t come home bloodied or duffed up. Queenie would’ve told me. Who told you it was Vinny?’

‘My grandson. He witnessed the fight along with a few others. None of ’em will grass, so don’t worry. They all want to be Vinny’s best pal now, don’t they?’ laughed Ronny.

Albie forced a chuckle, but was secretly crapping himself. If this was true and he got a hiding from Big Bri, then it was all Queenie’s fault. She’d filled his sons’ heads with shit from the day the poor little sods were born.

Queenie knew exactly why Viv had dumped Joey Jenner, the nice blacksmith she’d courted for around six months. She also knew why Viv was so uncomfortable sitting in this pub. It was because of that tosser who was currently banged up, but due out of prison soon. ‘Why you sat facing the corner and afraid to turn around, Viv?’ Queenie was fuming that her sister had not been truthful with her. She’d had her suspicions for a while, but had only found out for sure the other day when she’d popped round her mum’s, secretly searched Vivian’s room and found the letters from Bill Harris stuffed under Viv’s mattress.