to her surprise, all he got up to while they sat together in the back row was to watch the film. She wouldn't have complained if he had put an arm around her shoulder. In fact, she was considering how far she would let him go on their first date.
After the curtain came down, the organ lit up and they all rose to sing the National Anthem.
'Care for a drink?' asked Eddie as they made their way out of the cinema.
'I ought to be getting home before the trams pack up for the night.'
'You don't have to worry about the last tram, Maisie, when you're with Eddie Atkins.'
'All right then, just a quick one,' she said as he guided her across the road to the Red Bull.
'So what do you do, Eddie?' Maisie asked as he placed a half pint of orange squash on the table in front of her.
'I'm in the entertainment business,' he said, without going into any detail. Instead, he switched the subject back to Maisie. 'I don't have to ask what you do.'
After a second orange juice, he looked at his watch and said, 'I've got an early start tomorrow, so I'd better get you home.'
On the way back to Still House Lane, Maisie chatted about Harry, and how she was hoping he would join the choir at Holy Nativity. Eddie seemed genuinely interested, and when he brought the car to a halt outside No. 27, she waited for him to kiss her. But he just jumped out, opened the car door for her and accompanied Maisie to her front door.
Maisie sat at the kitchen table and told her mother everything that had happened, or not happened, that night. All Grandma had to say was, 'What's his game?'
Chapter 13
WHEN MAISIE SAW Mr Holcombe walk into Holy Nativity accompanied by a smartly dressed man, she assumed that Harry must be in trouble again. She was surprised, because there hadn't been any red marks for over a year.
She braced herself as Mr Holcombe headed towards her, but the moment he saw Maisie he simply gave her a shy smile before he and his companion slipped into the third pew on the other side of the aisle.
From time to time, Maisie glanced across to look at them, but she didn't recognize the other man, who was considerably older than Mr Holcombe. She wondered if he might be the headmaster of Merrywood Elementary.
When the choir rose to sing the first anthem, Miss Monday glanced in the direction of the two men, before nodding to the organist to show that she was ready.
Maisie felt that Harry excelled himself that morning, but she was surprised when a few minutes later he rose to sing a second solo, and even more surprised when he performed a third. Everyone knew that Miss Monday never did anything unless there was a reason, but it still wasn't clear to Maisie what that reason might be.
After the Reverend Watts had blessed his flock at the end of the service, Maisie remained in her place and waited for Harry to appear, hoping he'd be able to tell her why he'd been asked to sing three solos. As she chatted anxiously to her mother, her eyes never left Mr Holcombe, who was introducing the older man to Miss Monday and the Reverend Watts.
A moment later, the Reverend Watts led the two men into the vestry. Miss Monday marched down the aisle towards Maisie, a resolute look on her face, which every parishioner knew meant she was on a mission. 'Can I have a private word with you, Mrs Clifton?' she asked.
She didn't give Maisie a chance to reply, but simply turned and walked back down the aisle towards the vestry.
Eddie Atkins hadn't shown his face in Tilly's for over a month, but then one morning he reappeared and took his usual seat at one of Maisie's tables. When she came over to serve him, he gave her a huge smile, as if he'd never been away.
'Good morning, Mr Atkins,' Maisie said as she opened her notepad. 'What can I get for you?'
'My usual,' said Eddie.
'It's been so long, Mr Atkins,' said Maisie. 'You'll have to remind me.'
'I'm sorry I haven't been in touch, Maisie,' said Eddie, 'but I had to go to America at rather short notice, and I only got back last night.'
She wanted to believe him. Maisie had already admitted to her mother that she was a little disappointed she hadn't heard from Eddie after he'd taken