He would put her right under everyone’s nose, and still they wouldn’t find her. All he had to do was have a good old think . . .

The phone rang and he jumped in his seat. The harsh tones echoed around the silent house, upsetting George. He crept out into the hallway and picked up the offending instrument.

‘Hello, George. Margaret here. How’s Elaine?’

He felt his heart begin to race.

‘Oh, she’s fine, Margaret, feeling a bit better . . . I doubt she’ll be in this week though.’

‘Can I have a word?’

‘She’s sleeping at the moment. I’ll tell her you called though, Margaret, she’ll be sorry to have missed you.’

‘Okey doke then, I’ll ring her later in the week. ’Bye.’

George replaced the receiver.

The whole conversation had taken less than two minutes, but to him it had seemed like a fortnight.

He stormed out to the kitchen, his temper flaring. Elaine was still sprawled on the kitchen floor, her sightless eyes staring at the skirting board.

‘That was your friend Margaret. Checking up on you as usual. Are you listening to me?’

George knelt down and pulled her head up by her flame-coloured hair. He looked ferociously into her face.

‘You’re nothing but trouble, Elaine. That’s all you’ve ever been.’

Then, as if the reality of events suddenly hit him, he cradled her head in his arms and began to cry.

Evelyn heard the door knocker and went out to the hall to answer it. She could hear loud music coming from Lizzy’s room and smiled to herself as she wiped her hands on her apron. The child was like a young girl should be now, and that thought cheered her.

She opened the front door. Patrick Kelly was standing there.

‘Oh, hello. Kate isn’t here, but come away in anyhow. I was just going to have a coffee.’

He walked into the hall, hearing the loud music coming down the stairs. Evelyn laughed.

‘That’s Lizzy. You’re forgiven for thinking she might be a bit deaf!’

They went through to the kitchen and Patrick undid his coat and sat at the breakfast bar.

‘I’m just making a nice lamb casserole for dinner.’

‘It smells delicious.’

She poured out two coffees.

‘I like to cook. It relaxes me.’

He took the coffee from her and sipped it.

Sitting opposite him, Evelyn lit herself a cigarette and blew out the smoke loudly.

‘So what can I do for you, or is this a social call?’

Patrick smiled slightly. She was a game old bird.

‘It’s a bit of both actually. It’s about your trip to Australia.’

‘What about it?’

‘Well, the truth is, I don’t think that Kate can really afford it, can she?’

Evelyn took another drag on her cigarette. She knew that Kate couldn’t afford it really, that she was trying to get a bank loan to pay for it. But she had told Lizzy she was going and there was no way that she would let her down, even if it meant selling the car and every bit of jewellery she possessed.