Queenie was inwardly furious he’d sent his trollop to her front step. But she took the ten-pound note and asked Albie to look after the boys.

When Queenie arrived, Patrick and Daniel were both at their mother’s bedside, looking like broken men.

‘I thought you might want a few minutes alone with Mum, Queenie,’ Daniel said.

‘Thank you. Yes, I would.’

The rattling in Mary’s throat was loud. Queenie sat down and held Mary’s hand. ‘I’m not sure you can hear me, Mary, but I just want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. You’ve made me into the strong woman I am today and I will always continue to use your values for the rest of my life. I love you so much and you’ll always be in my heart. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you though. But I promised you I would be strong, so I will be.’

Queenie was stunned as Mary’s eyes flickered open, then quickly shut again. ‘Nurse, nurse. Mary just opened her eyes, I swear she did.’

The nurse checked Mary’s pulse. ‘Mary’s gone, my love. I’m so sorry.’

Patrick and Daniel came back into the room. Both put their arms around Queenie and as she sobbed her heart out, so did they.

What a woman Mary O’Leary was. And now she was gone for good.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

‘Can you give me some money, Albie? I need a new outfit to wear at your brother’s wedding. It’s been ages since I treated myself to anything nice. I’m gonna get Linda the dressmaker to run up a little suit for Roy too. She did such a good job with Vinny’s.’ It was over a fortnight since Mary had died and even though it was difficult, Queenie was trying her hardest to carry on as normal. The day of Mary’s funeral, Queenie hadn’t stopped crying. But it was time to move on now for the sake of her boys. She’d also promised Mary she’d be strong and had no intention of breaking her promise.

Albie took his wallet out of his pocket and handed Queenie three pound notes. ‘Roy’s only bleedin’ one, can’t even walk properly yet. A waste of money if you ask me, getting him a suit made. Hardly likely to get any wear out of it, is he?’

‘Three measly bleedin’ quid! That’s not enough! I’m going to Cohen’s to get my outfit. Joseph’s running the shop now, by all accounts. I bumped into one of our old customers the other day. I’m sure he’ll give me some kind of a discount as I never had no falling out with him, but you can’t even buy a decent hat and pair of stockings in there with what you’ve given me.’ No way was Queenie using the money Mary had given her. She wasn’t working now, so it was Albie’s duty as a man to support his wife.

Albie felt embarrassed. Queenie had a habit of making him feel like he was some kind of loser. ‘That’s all the spare money I’ve got until later, love. A lot of the publicans owe me dosh for spirits I dropped off to ’em last week. I’ll chase ’em up today, get ’em to weigh me out.’