Against her mother’s shoulder she nodded, then drew back and looked into her face. ‘Then why did you send me away?’

Esther Godfrey sighed heavily. ‘Oh, Katie, there are things you dun’t understand . . .’

‘Then tell me.’

Her mother avoided Kate’s direct gaze and unusually for her she stumbled over her words. ‘I was worried – you see you’re getting older now – and there are so many dangers for a young girl – a young woman almost . . .’

‘Mam, just tell me.’

‘I – I was afraid you were getting too close – too involved with – with the boys at the Point.’

‘You mean Danny, don’t you?’

‘Well – yes. He’s a young man now and – and young men start to – well – want things from girls.’

Softly Kate said, ‘Danny wouldn’t hurt me, Mam,’ and then added with a little of her old spark, “Sides, if he tried anything, he’d soon get a kick right where it hurts!’

Kate saw Esther’s mouth twitch with laughter, despite the anxiety clouding her eyes. Then her face sobered again. ‘Kate, I want you to give me your solemn promise that you will never, ever, let Danny . . . touch you.’ Knowing just what a promise meant to her mother, that they were never given lightly, Kate hesitated. ‘Why, Mam?’ she pressed.

‘He – he’s not for you, Kate, not in that way. Friends, yes, but there – there can’t be anything else.’

‘Oh Mam, surely you don’t think I’m stupid enough to let anybody – including Danny – touch me before I’m wed. You’ve drilled that into me ever since – well, as long as I can remember.’

Kate watched her mother’s face, saw conflicting emotions crossing it, as if there was a fight going on inside her head. ‘What is it, Mam?’

‘Nothing – nothing. It’ll be all right, if ya’ll promise me that.’

Kate sensed it wasn’t ‘nothing’. There was something her mother wasn’t telling her. But there was nothing the young girl could do to prise whatever it was out of her mother. Instead she said airily, ‘Oh yes, I can promise you that much, Mam.’

For the moment her pledge seemed to satisfy her mother.

What Kate did not voice, and what she had only just realized herself as a result of this conversation with her mother, was a silent vow she made to herself.

One day I’ll marry Danny Eland.

It seemed that having gained Kate’s promise, her mother’s fears regarding Danny were allayed. The very next day Kate heard her voice calling from the bottom of the stairs, ‘Kate, Kate you’ve got a visitor. Up you go.’

She heard footsteps on the stairs and even before the door of her bedroom was pushed wider, she knew it was Danny.