They were halfway to the door when Jonty was suddenly struck by a recollection. ‘Ma, if we spend hours searching for the broodies we’ll never get to the cinema show,’ he wailed. ‘And it’s only here for one day, you know it is, and they’re showin’ Jungle Woman, which I missed first time round. If we’re not finished in time for the matinée performance, we may not get in for the evening show because that’s always very popular. We don’t mind missing our dinner, do we, Tess? Can’t you and Dad find the broodies? Or Adam, if he’s not busy?’

Mrs Bell did not reply, but Mr Bell spoke up. ‘Tell you what, if you find the broodies and finish off the yard work say by five o’clock, I’ll get the car out and run you into the village in good time for the evening performance. How’ll that suit you?’

Tess stared. Not only was petrol still both rationed and in short supply, but Mr Bell treated the car like a much-loved elderly relative and seldom took it out of its shed, save once a week to fetch supplies. But she and Jonty rushed to the back door, delighted at the prospect of a lift into the village, and were soon combing likely hiding places, finding not only broodies but mother hens with a dozen or so chicks cuddled safely beneath their wings.

By five o’clock the yard work was finished and the cattle and horses had been checked to make sure that none had strayed. Jonty and Tess returned to the house, where they changed into clean clothing, gulped down a cup of tea and were given money for the cinema show. Then they hurried out to the car, bickered briefly over who was to have the front seat – Tess won – and were soon agreeing to meet Mr Bell outside the village hall when the picture show was over.

On their arrival Tess and Jonty were immediately surrounded by friends, eager to discuss the dreadful results of the storm, but as soon as the doors opened and Miss Fletcher, who ran the committee in charge of the hall, began to take the money the storm was forgotten in a wild rush to get into the hall so that the youngsters might sit with their friends and not get ‘hemmed in’ by the older members of the audience.