‘For all the reasons that you constantly warn me against him, I dumped that man thirty years ago. And in the process I condemned myself to a lifetime of anonymous single-motherhood. All this happened before you were even wearing nappies. Now, some might argue, given the pillar of righteousness you’ve become, that my sacrifice was worth it … and that maybe I’m finally entitled to a little me time.’

‘Mum … you’re not actually thinking of getting back with him?’

‘Lucy … just because you don’t want a man in your life, that doesn’t mean I don’t.’

‘But he’s already with someone.’

Cora shrugged. ‘You think that’ll bother your father?’

‘What?’ Lucy was aghast. ‘You’d be happy to be the other woman?’

‘I …’ Fleetingly, Cora struggled with this dollop of common sense. ‘Of course not. It’s just that I …’ Again, she had trouble articulating. ‘I really liked Frank. Back then, I mean.’

‘You left him easily enough.’

‘The decision was far from easy, trust me.’

‘You’ve had loads of chances to get to know other guys. I know you’ve been asked out at least three—’

‘None of them measure up, Lucy. That’s the trouble.’ Briefly, Cora was wistful again, lost in a dreamy past. Only to snap out of it suddenly. ‘Anyway, it’s easy for you to talk. You’re young, you’ve got your looks, your health …’

‘So have you.’

‘But you’ve still got years ahead of you. The pages on my calendar are turning fast.’

Lucy didn’t know what to say. The idea of her mother taking up with a notorious gangster was intolerable, of course, the antithesis of everything she stood for. But ultimately this was her mother’s business, not hers. Did she really have a right to intervene?

‘If you want the truth,’ Cora said, ‘I think Frank’s feeling the years too. He might have that ex-porno queen, or whatever she is, in his bed, but she’s not like a real wife, is she? She won’t keep him a tidy home, she hasn’t raised his children.’

‘So now you’re saying Frank McCracken’s missing his family?’ Lucy scoffed. ‘A family he hadn’t even met until a couple of years ago?’

‘God, you can be harsh when you want to.’

‘I’m stating a fact. And I don’t want you to get hurt.’

‘You’ve a funny way of showing it.’ Cora threw down her napkin and stood up, much to the surprise of the waitress, who had just arrived with their first courses.

‘Mum … please!’ Lucy tapped the tablecloth placatingly. ‘Come on … don’t be silly.’

Cora sat down again but looked grumpy. Rather nervously, the waitress served their dishes. The twosome ate in sulky silence.