She remembered the first time she had seen Michael. She had been fourteen years old, and she had been walking home from school. She had looked across the busy high road, and seen the most handsome boy ever, standing stock still, and he had been staring at her. She had smiled at him suddenly, as shy as she was then, and that had been it. He had walked over the road, dodging in and out of the traffic, and she had waited for him as if it had been the most natural thing in the world.

Once they were married she would feel much better. It would be different then, she wouldn’t have to go out with him, night after night. She would have a home to look after, babies to take care of. She couldn’t wait. She wanted a girl first, a little girl who would help her take care of her siblings. As they were both only children, she and Michael agreed that they would have a houseful of babies. All gorgeous, and all wanted.

She fell asleep beside him thinking of names for her babies that were waiting to be born.

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Patrick and Declan Costello were both listening intently as Michael explained the situation that Rob Barber had caused in the nightclub.

His voice expressed no emotion as he gave them both the facts. This was something that had to be decided by the Costellos; his personal anger would play no part. Still it was hard for him to keep his personal opinions to himself.

He made Paulie O’Keefe sound like the hero of the hour, careful to emphasise that he had only wanted to keep Michael out of anything that might cause unnecessary trouble with the Barbers and that was why he’d kept silent at first. He could see Patrick nodding his head as if he could understand that kind of logic. It wouldn’t have been through any cowardice – everyone knew that Paulie O’Keefe was more than capable of standing up for himself should the need arise. Paulie had the reputation of a real marler, a fighter’s fighter. Once he was set off, he would bite, kick, punch, head-butt, use any available weaponry, no holds barred. He was also known to easily take on more than one opponent if necessary. No, that Paulie O’Keefe had not demolished young Rob Barber was the feat in itself here.

Declan was annoyed, Michael could tell that much. He hated the Barbers with a vengeance. They had a history. Many years before, Declan had beaten Dicky Barber to the proverbial pulp. Dicky Barber had been the one to insist on the fisticuffs; he had confronted Declan outside a pub in Woolwich of all places. He had challenged Declan to a fight and, once provoked, Declan had been more than happy to oblige.