Thomas began to wail to go with her when Ellen walked away, but Tannerson put his fingers to his lips and whispered, ‘No crying, or we’ll be sent home without your dada.’ The little girls hushed Thomas and told him that their father would be out in a moment and they must look out for him and give him a cheer. When the time had lapsed, Tannerson lifted them down and put Thomas on his shoulders so that he had a good view and they walked to the doors to wait.

Ellen ran silently up the stairs and pushed open the ward doors. A nurse looked up as if she was about to say that visiting was over until she recognized Ellen. ‘We haven’t told your husband that he can leave yet,’ she said quietly. ‘He’s had his brother to see him, and that’s cheered him up.’

‘My brother,’ Ellen told her. ‘Harry’s best friend. Can he come home now?’

‘He can,’ the nurse agreed. ‘He’ll have to rest and be careful that he doesn’t knock his burned skin, but once he’s home he’ll soon recover.’

Ellen walked to the bed. Harry had his back to her and was talking to another patient in the next bed, who raised his head from his pillow when he saw Ellen. ‘A young lady to see you, Harry; some fellers have all the luck.’

Harry turned slowly as if his body was unbendable and carefully rose to his feet. ‘My wife,’ he told the other patient. ‘Ellen! It’s late. However did you get in?’

‘I have influential friends,’ she murmured, and held up his coat, shirt and trousers. ‘How would you like to come home?’

He dressed slowly, sitting on the bed to put on his trousers and shirt and carefully putting first one arm into a coat sleeve and then the other. Ellen buttoned him up and said, ‘Say goodbye to your friend in ’next bed.’

‘Am I really going home at last?’ He kissed the top of her head and sighed. ‘I thought ’day would never come. Cheerio, Greg,’ he said croakily to his neighbour. ‘Hope all goes well wi’ you.’

‘You too, Harry,’ the man said. ‘Tek care now.’

Harry nodded and took Ellen’s arm, but before they left he called his thanks to the nurse. ‘Say thank you from me to everybody, won’t you?’ She nodded a goodbye.

‘Careful down ’stairs,’ Ellen told him. ‘Take hold of ’banister rail.’

‘I don’t remember coming in,’ he muttered, taking the stairs slowly and looking about him. ‘None of this. Who brought me?’

‘I don’t know,’ she admitted. ‘But Dr Lucan was near ’mill when you were pulled out of ’river.’

‘I don’t remember what happened,’ he said, pausing at the bottom of the staircase. ‘It’s really strange.’