Violet was hoping she could shut the shop dead on time, if not even five minutes early, when the doorbell rang and Mrs Delaney came in, her eyes sharp and critical as ever. Vera Delaney had been one of Winnie Kennedy’s close friends, and the two of them had spent many hours together, pulling apart the character of everyone they knew. This was back in the days when it had been Winnie’s shop, and she’d spent her time indulging her beloved son Charlie and making his wife Rita’s life merry hell. Thankfully both Winnie and Charlie were no more and Rita was now happily married to Jack. Vera Delaney still popped in regularly, though, much to Violet’s regret. She forced herself to smile in welcome but she couldn’t stand the woman.

‘Good afternoon, Mrs Delaney. Well, almost evening. How can I help you?’

Vera sniffed. ‘No Rita today, then?’

Violet kept her smile in place with an effort. It was a small shop – it wasn’t as if Rita could be hiding anywhere. ‘No, she’s still taking it a bit easy now she’s got the baby. She’s over at Kitty’s.’

Vera nodded, as if this confirmed what was wrong with the world at large. ‘So she’s back, is she. I’d heard as much.’ She tugged at the sleeves of her jacket, and Violet could see the cuffs were frayed and heavily darned.

‘Yes, Kitty’s been posted back home,’ Violet told her. ‘Isn’t that lucky?’

‘Lucky? Is that what they call it?’ Vera’s expression would have curdled milk. ‘Bad luck for anyone who has to work with her, I’d say. Terrible family, those Callaghans. Their father was a dreadful one for the drink, you know – well, you might not know, being as what you aren’t from these parts, but he was a disgrace, wandering down the street half-cut at all hours, and those kids running about in rags.’

‘I don’t know about that, Mrs Delaney,’ said Violet briskly, ‘but she’s doing very well now. She’s been promoted several times.’

‘Wonders will never cease,’ snapped Vera. ‘Time was when she wouldn’t have said boo to a goose.’

Violet raised her eyebrows. That certainly didn’t sound much like the Kitty she knew now. That was the trouble with some people; they got one view of a person and refused to change it, despite what was staring them in the face. That was Vera Delaney to a T.

‘Anyway, Mrs Delaney, what was it you wanted?’ Violet asked.