‘You know where we were, Dad. Mum told you this morning about the whist drive. We had to get there early to help set up the tables and chairs, remember?’

‘I remember no such thing, Nell.’

‘But, Dad, Mum did say—’

‘Do you think I’m stupid?’ he snapped.

Ellen, knowing what that aggressive tone could lead to, tried to defuse the situation. ‘No, Dad, I’m not saying you’re stupid. I’m just saying you’ve forgotten,’ she said quietly.

‘Well, if you two didn’t go off gallivanting of an evening and stayed in and cooked my tea like decent folk, then there’d be no need for notes or remembering what rubbish you’d talked this morning.’

‘Phil, it was perfectly decent. It was a whist drive for the village hall fund. There was no gallivanting,’ Dora defended herself.

‘So now you’ve got money to spend on the village hall, have you?’ Philip snarled. ‘And where are you getting all this cash you seem to have to splash about on stuff that’s nowt to do with you?’

‘Oh, Dad, it was just a little fundraiser – just a bit of fun, that’s all,’ said Ellen. ‘Lots of our friends were there.’

‘Friends? You mean my employers – yes, I heard them making a row outside just now – and no doubt mad Betty Travers and that daft fella she’s married to.’

‘Betty’s my friend and has been for years.’

‘Mr Travers isn’t daft.’

Dora and Ellen both spoke together.

‘Well, why don’t you go and spend all your evenings with them, then? Leave me here with nowt to eat and no idea when you’ll be back. You obviously prefer their company to mine.’

Ellen knew better than to answer that. She’d had a lovely evening in the company of Betty and Reggie. They were always good for a laugh. There weren’t many laughs when Philip was home.

‘Phil, come on, now. You’re talking nonsense. I’m always here to cook your tea and I expect I will be in the future.’ Dora tried to placate him though her stomach was already knotting with anxiety.

‘I didn’t see you here this evening.’

‘Mum did leave you something to eat,’ Ellen said. ‘And the note.’

‘Do you think a working man wants to come home, having slaved away all day, and have to make his own tea of an evening?’ Philip raised his voice, determined to be unreasonable. ‘Do you?’

‘Mum works too,’ Ellen pointed out quietly.

‘Shut up! Who asked you?’

‘Phil, don’t speak to Nell like that. She’s worked hard all day, too. We all have,’ Dora said. ‘Now why don’t you simmer down and I’ll just take off my coat and heat this through for you? It’ll be done in no time.’

‘I don’t want it now.’