George, mortified at what Peter meant to do, dragged the man’s head round by grabbing the collar of his sheepskin coat.

‘NO! Peter . . . I mean, Pete.’ He calmed his voice. ‘I was just thinking, that’s all. I had a bit of bad news today.’

‘So they told you then?’

George looked at him, perplexed.

‘Told me what?’ Peter could not detect the edge to George’s voice.

‘That they was “outing” you. It’s been common knowledge for months.’

George was dumbstruck. So everyone knew? Everyone but him. Everyone had been looking at him and laughing at him. Oh, yes, laughing at him. Laughing up their bloody sleeves at him!

Peter watched the amazed expression on George’s face turn to one of virulent anger. It shocked even him. He’d thought that George had known. Everyone else had. Sorry now, he put his hand on George’s arm.

‘Hey, I’m sorry, old man. Christ, I thought you knew. I really thought you knew.’

George took a deep breath.

‘No, Pete. I didn’t know. I really didn’t.’

George’s voice was his own once more. Quiet and polite. ‘I never even guessed.’

‘Come on, Georgie boy. Best thing that could happen really. I mean, what are you - fifty-eight? Fifty-nine?’

‘I’m fifty-one, Peter. Fifty-one.’

‘Oh. Well, never mind anyway. Get an early pension. Live a little. See the kids.’

‘I have no children, Peter. Elaine and I never . . .’

‘Oh.’

Peter was finding it increasingly difficult to find things to say. He himself had a wife, four children and a string of mistresses and one-night stands the length and breadth of the country. People like George amazed and intrigued him. How could you live fifty-one years and have nothing to look forward to? He saw himself in years to come, when he was a bit long in the tooth for affairs and fumbling encounters, living with his wife and watching his grandchildren grow up. With hundreds of happy memories to see him through the twilight years.

‘Come on, Georgie boy, drink up. Think of the great leaving do we’ll have for you! There, that’ll cheer you up.’ He snapped his fingers at the barmaid again. ‘Another round here, Viv, if you please.’

The pub was beginning to fill up and George watched Peter greet friends and acquaintances. He nodded hello at different introductions and all the time his mind was in a turmoil.

What the hell was Elaine going to say?

Elaine sat in the canteen at work and stirred her coffee listlessly.

George was not right, yet she had to admit he had been a lot better to live with these last few weeks. He had been lighthearted. Like before all the trouble.