‘When we got outside the street was packed. No one seemed to want to leave. People were trying to find friends in the crowd, and mothers and fathers were looking for their children. That’s when things got much more frantic. There was a lot of desperate shouting. And then the police came, and there were lines of soldiers who seemed to appear from nowhere and then the horses and the fire tenders arrived, but by that time the theatre was quite ablaze. The firemen had brass on their helmets which reflected the flames so it looked as though their heads were on fire. They were so brave. Going into a burning building. Into danger, without a thought.’ He stopped for a moment. ‘I’ve never thought of it like that before. What it would be like to just follow an order when you know that you might come to harm?’

‘Take your time,’ whispered John. ‘There is no rush.’

Finlay took another sip of his drink before continuing. He was so intent on getting the details right, he barely noticed that his father had spoken. ‘All of a sudden, I was exhausted. It was as though everything had been sucked out of me and I wasn’t sure my legs were going to hold me up any more. But Ann was standing there beside me and I wanted to get us away. The theatre was still on fire and the whole street might have gone up in flames and I knew we needed to get home. We walked back. I didn’t want to get a tram, and I know you gave me the money for a cab, but I couldn’t see one, and anyway, I needed to walk and breathe cool air. I’m afraid I made Ann walk too. I hope that wasn’t unutterably cruel, but I couldn’t have gone inside a cab, I just couldn’t. I didn’t want to be shut in a box.’ He looked across at his sister. ‘I don’t think we said a word all the way back, did we?’

Ann shook her head.

‘I have a few questions,’ said John, his voice still hoarse. ‘But at the moment I am so happy that you are both safe. Ann, I want you to go with Isobel and she will help you wash, and you can get into your night clothes and come back here so I can say goodnight.’

John waited until they had gone before he spoke.

‘I’m not sure I would have had the presence of mind that you did, Finlay. And I cannot tell you what a debt I owe you. Is there any news of what happened? Do you know if everyone got out alive?’