Jimmy could stay silent no longer. ‘But when we told our story I explained that Cyril caught me cutting holly, and Auntie Glenys saved us both by letting us stay in her house,’ he said indignantly. ‘Me and Mo told you that Cyril knew we’d taken shelter somewhere on Orange Street, and after Frank had spoken to him, and found he was determined to stick around until he found us, we knew we had to get away, not just from Orange Street but from Liverpool itself.’

Sam nodded, though reluctantly. ‘But it was not sensible just to take off with only a vague idea of where you were going. You were lucky that it was me who caught up with you and not Cyril Huxtable, because I imagine he’s disappeared because he too is looking for you.’ He turned to Glenys. ‘I dare say you did it for the best, but it was more of a hindrance than a help. Sheer interference I’d call it.’

Glenys sniffed. ‘If we’re going to get personal I can’t help thinking you a very neglectful parent,’ she snapped. ‘Oh, I know you were nearly drowned and lost your memory, but what about that first year? There was nothing wrong with you then. You could have come home any time and made sure that your children were in good hands. So if we’re casting blame, Mr Trewin, I think you should take your share.’

Sam felt his cheeks grow hot. The fact that there was some truth in what she said did not make it easier to accept, so he went into the attack. ‘Good God, woman, why did you take no notice when you finally rang Frank and he told you the children’s father had turned up? I know he did, because Major Williams introduced us before I left Liverpool and we’ve spoken regularly ever since. And if you’d taken the trouble to ring him a bit more often yourself I could have met you days ago and brought my children to safety much earlier. In case you’ve forgotten, we still don’t know where Cyril is.’

Glenys stared. ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said. ‘Frank said nothing about their father!’

‘He told me he did,’ Sam said doggedly. He felt strongly that it should have been he who had brought his children to Weathercock Farm, not a jumped up schoolteacher who thought she knew it all.

But Jimmy was grinning. ‘I know what happened, and when you remember what a bad line it was, it’s easy to understand,’ he said. He turned to Glenys. ‘You thought Frank said we should go farther, right down to the coast, but I bet that wasn’t what he said at all. He must have said he’d seen our father.’

Sam made a rude disbelieving noise, but his mother-in-law tutted and gave him a reproving look. ‘Of course, that’s the obvious answer,’ she said. ‘I think you should apologise to this young lady, Sam, because if it hadn’t been for her that Huxtable person might well have got hold of your children, though what he intended to do if he caught them heaven only knows. Now come along, do the decent thing. There’s no shame in admitting you’re wrong and apologising for it.’