‘Bill’s changed. He’s promised me he’s going straight from now on, and I believe him. This is my life, Queen, and I’m old enough now to make my own decisions. Can’t you be happy for me, just this once?’

Vinny and Roy often took their little brother out, but usually they stayed within the local vicinity. Seeing as their mum was out today, the boys decided to take Michael on an adventure to educate him on what they got up to on the quiet.

Firstly, they hung around the market and earned a few bob doing odd jobs for the stallholders. Then they took Michael down to Stinkhouse bridge before heading to Hackney Marshes where the gypsies kept their horses. Vinny enticed them with the carrots they’d blagged from the market, then bravely jumped on the back of one.

‘Can I ’ave a go?’ Michael squealed, excitedly jumping up and down.

‘Oi, ya little feckers. What ya think you’re doing?’

Seeing one of the gypsy men waving a walking stick and heading their way, Vinny slid off the horse and yelled, ‘Run for it.’

Aggie Marney felt ever so awkward as she opened her front door to Queenie and Viv standing on her freshly scrubbed doorstep. Terry was out, working hard as usual, so she was home alone with Little Terry and her two daughters, preparing dinner. ‘Oh, hello. This is a nice surprise,’ she lied.

‘You gonna invite us in then?’ Queenie asked.

‘Erm, yes, of course. I’ll put the kettle on.’

‘Two sugars in mine and one an’ a half in Viv’s,’ Queenie replied abruptly.

‘Look, Auntie Queenie and Vivvy have come to visit us,’ Aggie said in a silly childlike voice.

Queenie stared at the three children and politely smiled. Not a looker among them, the poor little mites. As for the boy, he was a complete no-hoper, him.

‘So, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?’ Aggie smiled, as she handed Queenie and Viv their cups of tea.

Not one to beat about the bush, Queenie decided to get straight to the point. ‘I’d like to know why you keep your distance from me these days, Aggie. I have always classed you as a good friend. I heard you had a party for Terry and was very hurt that you never invited Albie and me. If it wasn’t for me introducing you, you would probably never even have met Terry. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve never said or done anything to upset you.’ She took a long sip of her tea, then concluded haughtily, ‘So would you be kind enough to enlighten me, please.’

Aggie wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. It was Terry who’d insisted she mustn’t invite Queenie and Albie to his party as he didn’t want their children there. ‘I’m sorry, Queen. It’s Little Terry. He’s petrified of your Vinny for some reason. That’s why I haven’t invited you round recently and didn’t invite you to Tel’s birthday bash. I got to put my own son first. But I do still want to be your friend. You are always welcome to visit. Just maybe don’t bring the boys with you for a bit. They’re so boisterous in comparison to Little Terry and the girls. I do hope you understand, Queen. I would hate us to fall out over this.’