While Ma slept, Jenny could snatch a few quiet moments for herself, and she sat down to think. Edna would be on her way to Wales now, and a new life. It had come as a shock to have her friend move away, but she couldn’t be more pleased for her. Edna deserved this chance of happiness, and it was a ray of hope that lives could change for the better.

A knock on the front door brought her out of her musing. When she opened the door and saw Matthew standing there, she felt a blush creeping up her face. She had cried on his shoulder. What must he think of her?

‘Hello, Jen.’ He studied her face intently. ‘How’s Ma?’

‘Much the same.’ She stepped aside. ‘Would you like to come in?’

‘Thanks.’ He strode straight into the kitchen and, seeing the money and list on the table, said, ‘Are you going shopping?’

‘Yes, as soon as I can find someone to sit with Ma, but everyone’s out at the moment.’

‘I’ve got half an hour to spare. I’ll get this for you.’ He scooped up the list, coins and the basket, then headed for the door before she had time to object. ‘Do you go to the shops at the top of the road?’

‘Yes, but only buy what is on the list. I’ve put the price beside each item.’

He was already striding towards the shops, and she wasn’t sure he’d heard a word she’d said. Jenny fumed. If he wasted their precious money on unsuitable purchases, she would be very angry. Watching his tall figure disappear with her shopping basket on his arm, she shook her head in disbelief. Who the hell did he think he was, sweeping in here and taking over?

Suddenly she saw the funny side of it and began to giggle. What were the shopkeepers going to think when a strapping young man turned up carrying her shopping basket? Well, it was too late to stop him now. If he wanted to make a fool of himself, that was up to him. He obviously didn’t care what other people thought of him. She could admire him for that attitude.

Nipping upstairs to check on Ma and finding her asleep, Jenny went back to the kitchen to put the kettle on. The least she could do was offer him a cup of tea when he returned.

He was back in less than twenty minutes, and Jenny gaped at the overflowing basket. ‘You never got all that with the money I gave you.’

‘No, I bought a few extras.’ He began putting the packets on the table.

Jenny watched open-mouthed, becoming angrier by the second. There was butter, bread, jam, bacon, eggs, sausages, tea, milk, biscuits – whole ones – fruit, veg and even a small chicken. A few extras?

‘I can’t afford all that. You’ll have to take it back.’