“I’ll se’ thee ”, Charlie called, waving an arm carelessly in Joe’s direction.

Crouching down to peer through the low windows, Joe made his way to the back of the tram. Settling in an empty seat he scoured the far side of the street between the bright paint of passing trade vans. His eyes falling on the round figure of a woman with wild, red hair, pulling a shawl closer round her shoulders and waving frantically to a man standing head and shoulders above the crowd pushing his way towards her. It was Charlie.

Annie O’Connor stepped backwards into the shadows of the damp, muddy alley. Tossing her long, untidy red hair over her shoulders she beckoned Charlie to follow.

“I’ve bin looking out for thee”, she said in a harsh Yorkshire accent laced with a heavy Irish brogue.