‘I have an early shift at the Red Cross,’ Pauline said, slightly out of breath after her fast walk. ‘But that’s neither here nor there. Do you know what trouble you’ve caused by interfering in my business?’

‘I haven’t interfered in anything,’ Peggy protested, determined not to be cowed by her hectoring tone.

Pauline folded her arms and glared. ‘You told Mother what I said to you in confidence. And within days, she’s on my doorstep. I’d call that interfering.’

‘I’d call it coincidence,’ Peggy replied evenly. ‘Your mother comes and goes as she pleases, and I certainly played no part in her latest visit.’

‘I don’t believe in coincidences,’ Pauline retorted. ‘You must have talked to her, otherwise why would she turn up when I’d made it plain she wouldn’t be welcome?’

‘The only time I talked to her was when she was already here,’ said Peggy. ‘Dolly came because you hadn’t answered her letter, and she’d hoped that she could persuade you to see things her way.’

‘Carol and I have always had to see things from her point of view,’ Pauline said bitterly. ‘My sister might be soft enough to fall for her old flannel, but I’m not – and I made that very clear to her.’

‘Which is why she left before she’d planned to,’ said Peggy. ‘She was in despair at the way you behaved towards her, and could see she wasn’t helping the situation by staying, and that you and Frank needed to sort things out on your own.’

‘What goes on between me and my Frank is none of your damned business,’ snapped Pauline. ‘And as for being in cahoots with Mother when you knew how I felt about her – well, that just goes to prove you’re no real friend, Peggy Reilly.’

‘I’m sorry you feel that way,’ said Peggy calmly. ‘But my friendship with Dolly has very little to do with you, and quite honestly—’ Peggy bit off the words, realising how close she’d come to causing a real rift between them by telling Pauline that if she wasn’t her sister-in-law then she’d probably have nothing to do with her. ‘We’re family, Pauline, and family has to stick together at all costs – especially during the hard times.’

‘There wouldn’t be so many hard times if people like you didn’t poke their nose into other people’s business – and just because we’re related doesn’t mean I have to like you, Peggy. I thought I could trust you with my thoughts and feelings, but it turns out I was wrong.’

Peggy glanced across at Daisy, who seemed to be playing with the other children. She looked back at Pauline, who still had the light of battle in her eyes, and decided she’d had enough.