He dragged his thoughts back to the present. ‘I expect you’re excited to be seeing them after so long,’ he said to Sybil.

‘Four years is a long time to be so far apart,’ she replied. ‘We’ve had very different wars, of course, and I expect we’ve all changed. But they’re still my daughters, and that bond can never be broken.’

‘You must be missing your little boy,’ he murmured as they approached the harbour.

‘Yes, I am. But this is no place for him, and he’s perfectly safe with his grandparents. Perhaps if Jock and Philip come through I’ll telegraph my parents and ask them to bring him over. He’ll need to get to know his father and sisters.’

Without replying, Jim drove through the entrance gate and headed for the flying-boat docking station. He parked the car and went round to help the women out. ‘We’re still a little early,’ he said. ‘I’ll just go and check with the harbour master that they’re on time.’

Sybil eyed the huge harbour with interest. There were numerous ships at anchor waiting for permission to dock, and the navy was clearly still out in force, guarding the island. ‘It’s all very different to the last time we were here, isn’t it, Amah?’

The tiny woman nodded. ‘I will always remember you being carried onto that ship with James in your arms, and the enemy planes coming in with their guns spitting death.’ She shivered despite the warmth of the evening and pulled her shawl more closely over her shoulders. ‘I was so afraid for you, and for the sahib.’

‘I always wondered why you didn’t wait with him instead of disappearing into the crowd like that,’ said Sybil.

‘He had important things to do,’ she said. ‘I would have been a burden.’

Sybil’s reply was halted by Jim’s return. ‘It’s on schedule to arrive in ten minutes. Would you prefer to sit in the car to wait?’

Sybil shook her head. ‘I want to be right here where they can see me as they disembark. But perhaps it would be best if Amah sat down. She’s not as strong as she once was.’

‘I will stay with Mem,’ she said to Jim’s questioning glance.

Jim stood there, not sure of what to say to either woman. He was intrigued by the little Malay woman and the relationship between her and Sybil, and wondered if Amah actually had a proper name. He couldn’t imagine being called by his job description all his life.

‘There it is,’ said Sybil some minutes later, excitedly pointing to the twin lights rapidly approaching the water, and then taking Amah’s hand. ‘Oh my goodness, I can hardly believe they’re really here,’ she breathed.

The large seaplane came in low over the water, making for the path set out with floating buoys that would keep them a safe distance from the rest of the shipping. The roar of the engines was loud and made further conversation impossible, and they all watched as the floats glided onto the water, sending up a fountain of spray on either side.