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duties as older brother seriously, very seriously indeed. It had hurt when his father had blamed his lax attitude for Laura finding time to fall in love with an Irish Catholic doctor, as opposed to the nice Italian boy he’d wanted for his eldest daughter. Trevor had eventually gained acceptance, but not before Papa Ronconi had told his other five daughters, including little Theresa who was barely eight years of age, that when the time came they would be introduced to nice Italian or Italian Welsh boys who met with his approval. Apart from William’s wholly Welsh antecedents, there were other drawbacks. His wheeler-dealing, both on and off the market, coupled with the receiving charge that had led to his mother’s imprisonment, had given him a not entirely undeserved shady reputation. And Ronnie, who’d always had a discreet eye for the ladies, was beginning to see a far more reckless philanderer than himself in William, that made him all the more determined to keep William as far away from Tina as possible.
    ‘Bad luck about your sister, Haydn, I’m sorry,’ Ronnie sympathised.
    ‘Bethan?’ Haydn asked quickly, wondering what gossip had found its way to the café via the maids who worked for Doctor John senior, Andrew’s father, in his house on the Common. It still grieved him that the Johns had found out about Bethan and Andrew’s marriage (via the telephone) before any of her own family.
    ‘Not Bethan, Maud,’ Ronnie corrected. ‘I’m sorry, I thought someone would have gone to the market to tell you. She came in this morning on the Cardiff train.’
    ‘Maud’s home?’ Haydn asked in bewilderment.
    ‘She’s ill,’ Tina announced thoughtlessly, relishing the importance that the imparting of the news gave her. ‘She collapsed in the station. Wyn Rees carried her over here, then Ronnie had to drive her and Diana home.’
    ‘Diana’s home too?’ William interrupted.
    ‘They’ve left the Infirmary. Maud was told she was too ill to work ...’
    ‘Tina, you’d better finish clearing those tables before they’re needed for another customer,’ Ronnie broke in, silencing her. He poured himself a tea and looked around the café. Seeing no one clamouring for anything, he shouted to Tony, who was washing dishes in the kitchen, to take over the counter, then carried his tea to Haydn and William’s table.
    ‘I thought you would have heard,’ he explained as he sat down. ‘Half of Pontypridd saw Maud being carried out of the station.’
    ‘It obviously wasn’t the same half that’s been hanging around Charlie’s meat stall all day,’ William said caustically.
    ‘Or Horton’s second-hand stall.’ Haydn cupped his hands tightly around his tea. ‘What’s wrong with Maud?’ he asked Ronnie.
    ‘I took her to Trevor’s. He had a quick look at her before I drove her and Diana up to Graig Avenue,’ Ronnie murmured, wanting to delay the moment when he’d have to tell Haydn the truth. Then he looked into Haydn’s eyes and saw that he already knew. ‘It’s TB,’ he admitted bluntly, not knowing how else to phrase it. ‘Your mother and Diana were putting her to bed when I left.’
    Haydn didn’t say anything, but his hand shook as he reached for the sugar bowl. Jenny fumbled for his other hand beneath the tablecloth. There were tears in the corners of her eyes.
    ‘How’s Diana?’ William demanded.
    ‘Diana’s Diana,’ Ronnie replied. ‘Cheeky as ever.’
    ‘Did she say if she’s staying?’
    ‘She said she had no intention of going back.’
    ‘Then she’s going to need a job.’
    ‘And a place to live.’ Diana closed the door behind her and shrugged her arms out of her sodden coat.
    ‘Long time no see, sis,’ William said unemotionally, moving his chair so she could fit another one in beside him.
    ‘My gain, your loss,’ she sang out as she hung her coat and scarf on the hat stand behind the till.
    ‘Didn’t expect to see you back in here today.’ Tina paused in between