Raymond sighed as his father shut the front door. How he could sit on that stinking bus every day, being abused by schoolchildren, Ray would never know. It was watching the old man come home moaning about his job every night that had given Raymond the determination to make something of his own life. He loved his dad dearly, but would rather die than end up like him.

‘Morning, darling. I’m so excited for you. Now, let your old mum cook you a nice bit of egg and bacon. You need to keep your strength up if you’re gonna be working with Eddie and his brothers.’

Raymond shook his head. ‘Thanks, Mum, but I’ve already eaten. I haven’t had a bath yet, so I’d best go and get meself ready.’

Joyce smiled as he bolted upstairs. Her Raymond working with Eddie and his brothers had made her the proudest mother in the universe and she couldn’t wait to tell her friends. Hilda and Rita would be so jealous. Both their sons had crappy jobs and not much to show for their lives. Raymond had always been far too intelligent to end up like them.

Eddie picked Raymond up at nine on the dot. ‘I’ve found you a flat. It belongs to a mate of mine who’s doing a bit of bird. It’s fully furnished and he only wants a score a week rent. I’ll take you there now, it’s in Dagenham, and it’s only ten minutes away from me and Jess.’

Eddie said very little as Raymond walked around the flat and studied the joint. It was very basic, but clean and certainly liveable.

‘Whaddya think?’ Eddie asked, once Ray had looked in every room.

‘Yeah, it’s OK. Beats listening to me parents argue,’ Raymond said bluntly.

‘Once you find your feet, you can get yourself somewhere better. It’ll do you until then, though. Get your stuff packed up tonight and I’ll pick you up in the morning and help you move in,’ Eddie told him.

Raymond looked at Eddie in amazement. He hadn’t expected things to move this quickly; he thought he’d be moving in a month or so. He hadn’t even told his parents that he was leaving home yet. ‘It’s a bit quick, ain’t it, Ed? Can’t I move in in a couple of weeks? It’ll give me more time to sort stuff out.’

Eddie shook his head. ‘If you’re gonna be working with me, you definitely need your own space. Too many eyes, too many questions, Raymond.’

Raymond nodded. He could hardly argue with Eddie, could he now? He forced a smile. ‘Tomorrow it is, then.’

The next step was Savile Row, where Eddie forked out on two suits, four shirts, three ties and a pair of black leather shoes. Eddie had known the guy who owned the tailor’s shop for years.