"You are no fun. None whatsoever." Alfie was already lighting a cigarette, rolling his shoulders as he followed behind Jonathan. "I'll keep on winning this time. I can feel it. So don't worry so much. If you frown all the time, that will be stuck on your face."

Sometimes he wondered whether it already was. "Now come have some fun, Jonny. We'll do well by our boys, I know it. They're lucky lads."