‘Oh, aye,’ Mrs Theaker said equably. ‘Are you sure you want to take the little gairl along? If not she can stay wi’ me.’

Harry tutted. ‘Of course I want to take her along. I’s goin’ to introduce her to the major, ain’t I, so that she can spend Christmas in the Salvation Hall.’ He patted his wife’s thin cheek affectionately. ‘See you soon, chuck.’

‘I wouldn’t mind stayin’ wi’ Mrs Theaker. I like Mrs Theaker,’ Mo said definitely as they moved away from the stall. ‘She wouldn’t let ’orrible Aunt Huxtable or even ’orribler Cyril carry me off. Only I s’pose she’ll be goin’ home wi’ you when the stall’s closed down. Oh, dear, I hope this ’ere major is as nice as you, Mr Theaker.’

‘No one’s as nice as Mr Theaker,’ Jimmy said reproachfully, but he was presently forced to acknowledge he was wrong. Major Williams proved to be every bit as nice and understanding as Harry had promised, and when Jimmy had explained their predicament he had said at once that he understood. ‘My wife and I will be spending a good deal of the Christmas holiday helping to feed and entertain those who have no one else to turn to,’ he explained. ‘But instead of sleeping in the Hall with the others you are welcome to use our spare bedroom; our eldest daughter, Roseanne, will be making a grand Christmas dinner in our house which we shall be delighted to share.’ He held out a hand to Mo. ‘Your brother tells me he is going to the park with his friends, so why don’t you come and meet Roseanne and my other children?’

Jimmy expected Mo to cling to his hand and insist that she would not leave him, but instead she looked up into Major Williams’s handsome, kindly face. ‘I know a Roseanne,’ she said eagerly. ‘She teaches the infant class at my school . . . well, she isn’t a teacher yet ’cos she’s not old enough, but when she is she’s goin’ to go to college so she can come back and teach the little ’uns. Is that your Roseanne? We calls her by her first name ’cos there’s three Miss Williamses already in our school.’

The conversation had taken place outside the Salvation Hall, and now Major Williams laughed and clapped a hand on Harry’s shoulder. ‘Yes, that’s my daughter,’ he said. ‘Mr Theaker here will confirm it. And now if you’ve decided to accept our hospitality you and I will go straight to my house, and you shall meet the rest of the family and sit down to a nice tea whilst your brother goes off with his pals.’

Mo smiled happily, and Jimmy, much relieved, gave her a brief hug. ‘Yes, you go with the major,’ he said. ‘I’m going to meet Nutty now, but I’ll be back by ten o’clock, I promise. I’ll see you then – if you’re not asleep, that is.’ He turned to Harry. ‘Thank you very much. I don’t know what we’d have done without you.’