‘I’ve had a lovely evening, Queenie. Thank you for inviting me,’ said Albie Butler, as they walked down the Mile End Road.

To say Albie was pleasantly surprised by how well this particular date had gone would be putting it mildly. Not only had Queenie turned up looking a million dollars, she was very articulate and bright for a seventeen-year-old. His mother was always telling him he chose the wrong kind of girls and he had a feeling that she would really like Queenie. His mother hadn’t liked his ex-fiancée one little bit. She’d said she was ‘shallow’.

‘Do you fancy going on another date in the week, Queenie? Any evening suits me.’

Queenie smiled. ‘Yes. I would like that very much.’

‘This is my road. I’ll be fine from here. Thank you for a lovely evening, Albie.’

‘I must walk you to your door, Queenie.’

‘No,’ Queenie snapped. ‘It’s my dad. Long story, but I’ll explain more when I see you Tuesday.’

Albie bent down and kissed Queenie on her right cheek. ‘See you at seven on Tuesday outside the Blind Beggar then.’

‘Bye, Albie,’ Queenie grinned.

Queenie’s smile soon vanished as she approached her house and thanked God that Albie wasn’t there to hear the shouting coming from inside. As she opened the front door, Viv was sitting on the stairs, white as a ghost and shaking.

‘Thank God you’re home,’ Vivvy cried. ‘Dad’s accusing Mum of having an affair with an American serviceman.’

Queenie burst into the front room. ‘Get off her, you bastard,’ she bellowed. Her father had her mother pinned to the floor and was prodding her with the poker they used to stoke the fire.

Eric Wade turned his head towards his eldest. ‘Get upstairs, you. Now,’ he slurred.

Queenie picked up the lump of cast iron they used as a doorstop. ‘I said, get off Mum,’ she hissed.

‘No, Queenie, no,’ Molly pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks. ‘Please, sweetheart, put that down. Do it for me.’

Standing behind her sister, Vivian gingerly grabbed the doorstep. ‘Do as Mum says, Queen.’

Queenie let go of the object. If she got sent to jail for murder, there’d be nobody to look after her mum and Viv.

Eric went sprawling as he tried to stand up, then managed the simple task on his second attempt. He had rarely laid a hand on his daughters in the past, but furious, he slapped Queenie hard around the face.

‘No. Eric, nooo!’ cried Molly.

‘Leave Queenie alone,’ Vivian shrieked.

‘Get to bed, the pair of ya, and don’t you ever speak to me like that again. I’m your father. I put the food on the table in this house. Show some bloody respect.’

Molly stood up and forced a smile. ‘Do as your dad says, girls. Go on, go to bed. It’s late.’

Tears of pure anger streamed down Queenie’s face as she bolted up the stairs. She would never forget her first proper date. But now she would remember it for all the wrong reasons.