Finn, grinning, leapt back and pinched a piece of Bubbly gum from a box.

‘Oi, put that back,’ said Rosie as she held onto his collar to stop him leaving the shop.

‘’Twill be mighty busy in this shop soon if Joe gets his way,’ Peggy said, addressing Michael. She had a plan to live another life, and as soon as it was possible, Michael would need to find a new Peggy. Despite her recent setback with Pete, she was still determined that the night of the dance was going to change her life.

‘Don’t you be worrying about that,’ said Michael. ‘Now that Mary Kate is home, you will have plenty of help in the shop.’

Even Finn looked surprised. Rosie almost laughed out loud. ‘What, you think Mary Kate is going to spend her days working behind this counter? Oh, sorry, Peggy.’ Rosie instantly looked shamefaced. ‘Come on, Finn, out.’ She pushed him in front of her, towards the calls of Keeva’s sons.

‘Oh aye,’ said Michael to Peggy, as she was now the only one left in the shop. ‘What else is she going to do? And isn’t that why she’s come home? She missed the place. I’ll give her a few more days to find her feet. She’ll settle into Angela’s cottage and then, as God is my judge, she’ll be down here every morning to work. She’s a Malone after all and this is a Malone business. That’s what she came home for, Peggy.’

Through the window, Peggy watched Michael speaking to Keeva and the boys. Then he jumped into his van and Keeva came into the shop. ‘Has Mary Kate gone already?’ she asked.

‘Aye, she’s gone to the farm to see her visitors – she couldn’t get there fast enough. And get this, Michael only thinks that once she’s taken a few days to settle in, she’s going to be working here in the shop with me. Just as I plan to get away, he thinks Mary Kate is going to tie herself to this counter.’

‘He must be mad,’ said Keeva. ‘Mary Kate isn’t going to stay here long enough to need her washing done, never mind work in the shop.’

Mary Kate, meanwhile, had cycled to the bottom of the boreen and run all the way up to the farmhouse. The house was empty when she raced through the door and for a moment she was glad of it, as she took in the familiar sight and smell of the kitchen. Nothing had changed, everything was as it had always been. The room smelt of warm bodies and freshly baked bread. She had no need to shout for anyone as she heard voices approaching the back door and rushed to meet them.

Cat and Mrs O’Keefe were walking up from the creamery towards the house. Seeing her, they waved. ‘A real cow and milk,’ exclaimed Cat as she hugged Mary Kate. ‘They used to have a dairy down on the end of George Street when I was a kid, but it took a direct hit during the war. The street smelt of roast beef for a week.’