The boy grinned and, knowing Nola’s kitchen almost as well as his own, ran to the table.

Mrs O’Keefe, who’d heard Nola’s invitation, was already cutting the bread. ‘There you go, young fella,’ she said, handing him two soft white slices, still warm from the oven, and a thick rasher of bacon dripping with fat sandwiched in between. ‘I expect you to get all your catechisms right today.’

Malachy grinned at Mrs O’Keefe, displaying a row of yellow teeth, and, taking the unexpected breakfast, ran out of the door, shouting, ‘Thank you, missus.’

Joe, curious, hovered by the door, tying his laces and glancing up as Cat opened the letter. They had built a rapport over the past few days and he liked her very much, just not in the way he’d have wished. He watched her back as she retreated from the door, distracted by the envelope addressed to her in a bold script, head bent, legs bare, flat slingback shoes scuffing the floor. She removed the letter as she reached the table, and a smile spread across her face.

‘Who is it from?’ Mrs O’Keefe asked, surprised that anyone would be writing to Cat. Joan and Deidra back in Liverpool had the telephone number for the post office and Cat had already phoned the house twice to speak to them and check that the children were behaving themselves.

Cat folded the letter in half and laid it on the table in front of her. She looked up at Mrs O’Keefe and grinned. ‘I’ve been asked on a date,’ she said.

‘What? With who?’ Mrs O’Keefe dried the breadknife she’d just rinsed, laid it back on the breadboard, came round to Cat’s side of the table and sat down.

On the step, Nola was talking to the men as they loaded up the cart.

‘It’s from the schoolteacher, Declan. He’s asked can he walk me to the dance. Said he’s bought two tickets and would I have one and be his date for the evening.’

‘Who asked you that?’ Nola shut the door behind her, blocking out both Joe and the wintery sunlight, and came to Cat’s side.

‘Declan.’

‘Oh, would you look at that face.’ Nola turned to Mrs O’Keefe. ‘It’s all written there, isn’t it. It happens like that when it’s meant to. That smile, as God may be my judge, is a forever smile. You can tell in an instant.’

Cat had no time to respond as the door flew open and in walked Michael. ‘Is Mary Kate already here?’ he asked.

The three women turned to look at him. ‘Not at all,’ said Nola. ‘How could she be? You were supposed to be bringing her up to us. Did you not go and collect her from Angela’s cottage?’

‘Yes, of course I did, but she wasn’t there.’

‘Well what kind of eejit are you? She will have been having her breakfast with Bee.’

Michael snapped back at Nola, something he rarely did. ‘I went straight to Bee’s and she wasn’t there either. Bee said that Mary Kate’s door was open when she herself had called in for her, but she’d already left. I can’t find her anywhere.’