As he rode into the harbour, he saw many of fishermen’s wives gazing out to sea, their faces strained. Dismounting, he tethered his horse and went to join them. Some of them had hungry-looking children clinging to their skirts, their faces gaunt and their noses red with cold. Others held babies in their arms while the older women stood huddled into drab woollen shawls, their faces anxious as they looked for a sight of their men returning. An arrow of guilt pierced through him; they should have been at home celebrating Christmas with their families. He knew they would probably be relying on the wages the men had earned to feed them and making a hasty decision he strode towards his office, which was nestled next to one of the boiler houses.

‘Winterton, give me the key to the safe,’ he ordered the young clerk who was sitting at his desk. Normally he would have had the day off but because of the missing ships he had agreed to work. Now the young man jumped to attention as he fumbled in the desk to do as he was asked.

Minutes later Barnaby withdrew a bag of coins from the enormous metal safe and after tucking it into his pocket he handed the key back to Winterton, telling him brusquely, ‘Make sure that is put away safely, then get yourself off home to your family. There’s nothing more you need to do today.’ With a nod he strode out into the cold again.

As he approached the first woman he came to, the little girl at her side shrank further into her mother’s side and stared at him suspiciously.

‘Mrs Larkin, isn’t it?’ He ruffled the little girl’s hair and was rewarded with a wary smile. It was funny, he thought, until he had had his own children, he’d never taken much notice of anyone else’s.

She nodded. ‘Aye, it is, Mr Greenwood.’

He pressed a silver coin into her palm. ‘Use this to tide you over until your husband returns.’

Tears sprang to her eyes as she clutched the coin. ‘Thank you, but I think yer mean if he returns, don’t yer?’ She had seen too many men lost at sea in her time.

‘He’ll be back, Mrs Larkin,’ Barnaby said with a certainty he was far from feeling.

He began to walk amongst them, handing out coins, which would no doubt be spent on a meal for them all that evening. He felt it was the least he could do.

Eventually at the far side of the harbour he came to Mrs Ainsley who bristled when she spotted him coming towards her.

‘Good evening, Mrs Ainsley.’

She gave him a curt nod and turned her attention back to the sea.

‘I hope you are well?’ he said, trying not to be bothered by the woman’s reaction to him.

‘I will be when me man an’ me lads come ’ome.’