Alannah hands them over. “Thank you, Mam.”

Siobhán takes the flowers back to the kitchen, leaving Alannah and me to step into the sitting room. She sits in one of the armchairs by the window, and I take the one across from her. We make small talk for a little while, but I’m due at the docks soon, and I need to get to the reason I came.

“I’m sorry for stopping by without calling first,” I say. “But I was hoping you might like to go out for dinner with me on Friday.” I clear my throat. “I know we’re already engaged, Alannah, but I’d like us to get to know each other before the wedding.”

Her breath catches, and colour rises into her cheeks, making the freckles across her nose and cheekbones stand out a little more. “I would really like that,” she blurts out, then presses both hands to her cheeks and laughs softly. “I mean, yes,” she says more calmly. “I’d like to get to know you too.”

I can’t help smiling at how flustered she looks. “Then I’ll pick you up at seven.”