Mrs Larkin shook her head. ‘The police have already done that – anyway, shouldn’t you be thinking of resting rather than running around the countryside in your condition?’ she added and nodded at Sybil’s big tummy.

‘I suppose so – I just want to help Rosie,’ desperate Sybil said, as she rose to go.

What she didn’t say was the last thing on her mind was resting. With Rosie’s two children lost and at risk, Sybil wouldn’t get any peace at all until they were both found.

Instead of going back to Mary Vale, Sybil took the bus into Grange and, ignoring Mrs Larkin’s wise advice, caught the first train to Carnforth. After a short journey across the bay, Sybil stepped on to the long platform, where she curiously looked around. If the kiddies had ended up here, where might they have headed?

‘Could they be hiding in the lavatory?’ Sybil thought to herself.

Entering the ladies’ toilets, Sybil first used the facilities herself – she seemed to need to go on the hour these days – then cast her eyes around the ladies’ waiting room, which was completely empty. Just as she was about to close the door behind her, it jarred against something lying on the tiled floor. Reaching down, Sybil removed a grubby, pink hair ribbon which she stared at thoughtfully. It was way too small for an adult to wear, so it must belong to a child, a little girl. Gripping the ribbon in the palm of her hand, she dashed out of the ladies’ and went in search of the porter, whom she found sweeping the platform with a broom.

‘Excuse me, I’m making enquiries about two little children,’ she started.

‘Oh, aye, them two what went missing t’other day,’ he answered lugubriously. ‘Police have been back and forth here asking questions of us all. Before you ask, I never clapped eyes on ’em myself. Other folks did, said they saw ’em sneaking on to another train on t’other side yonder.’

‘And where could that train have been heading?’ she asked urgently.

‘Well, going by the time they were seen, it could be either the Leeds or the London via Manchester train,’ he answered knowingly. ‘That’s what I told t’police when they asked the same question.’

Thinking there was no obvious reason why Ronnie and Sally would be making their way to Leeds, Sybil assumed they would have been aiming for London, since it was their home.

‘Thank you,’ she said politely. ‘That’s most informative.’

Seeing her tired expression, the guard kindly remarked, ‘I wouldn’t fret yourself, miss, the police have got it all in hand.’