‘Here, give me your arm and walk me to me cab.’

Tommy helped her up and they walked slowly towards the entrance of the park where her cab waited. In ten minutes they were outside her house. Tommy helped her down while the cabby knocked at the door. Pandemonium erupted.

Mrs Horlock and Cissy took Briony up the stairs while Mrs Dumas sent the cabby for the doctor. Tommy stood in the hallway watching in amazement. Isabel turned to him as she went to walk up the stairs and looked at him as if just seeing him for the first time. She unconsciously took in the neat suit and the well-cut hair. His penetrating blue eyes stayed her and she walked towards him.

‘I’m so sorry, young man, thank you for bringing my charge home.’

Tommy looked at her, decided he liked the look of her and smiled.

‘I’m a friend of Briony’s actually.’

The woman stood stock still.

‘Really? I can’t say she’s ever mentioned you before.’

‘Well, she’s mentioned you, Mrs Dumas. My name’s Thomas, Thomas Lane.’

He held out his hand and Isabel took it before she had time to think.

‘How do you do, Mr Lane?’

‘If it’s all right with you, I’d like to stay for a bit, see that she’s all right like...’

Isabel was nonplussed for a second. She wasn’t sure what to say to the boy. She was saved from answering by Cissy running down the stairs.

‘She wants her mum, Mrs Dumas. She’s insisting on having her mum here.’

Tommy stepped forward. ‘Tell me where she lives and I’ll go for her.’

Two minutes later he was rushing from the house and on his way to Molly’s.

Briony felt as if her whole body was being rent in two.

‘Oh, Mam, Mam ... it’s hurting me ... it’s hurting me!’

Her voice was high and filled with terror.

‘Calm yourself, child. Would you calm yourself... It won’t be long now.’

Molly looked at the doctor and he nodded at her, confirming her own opinion.

Briony twisted her head on the pillows. Her whole being was filled with pain. It seemed to her at that moment that even her teeth ached with it. Molly stared down at her child and felt such love come over her she would gladly have borne the pain for Briony at that moment. The doctor suddenly pushed past Molly.

‘This is it, it’s coming.’