She fished out her handkerchief from the pocket of her dropped-waist dress and blew her nose. She never thought she’d rue the day she met Ted Hewitt, but right now she wished she’d never been in the garden the day he walked past.

Ted’s father hefted their suitcases on to the train bound for Southampton. He was still too angry to speak to his son, and not because he believed Mr Campbell’s accusations that Ted had stolen the koi carp from his pond – he was certain that this was just a ruse to get Ted out of his daughter’s life. He was angry because he had warned Ted of the consequences of getting involved with the boss’s daughter, but Ted had refused to listen, and they were now homeless and without work as a result.

‘I still don’t see why we have to leave,’ said Ted, appearing at his father’s shoulder.

‘Because he’s only keeping quiet as long as we leave, but if we stay, he’ll spread it round that we’re thieves, and just you try getting a job once word’s got out!’ Craig snapped.

‘But I never did anything wrong!’ said Ted defensively. ‘You shouldn’t have let him bully you like that, Dad. You should’ve stood your ground, demanded to see proof, because I’m telling you straight, I never did it.’

His father drew a deep breath before continuing. ‘What do you propose I do, Ted? Take him to court for unfair dismissal? Or try and prove you never stole his koi carp?’ He held up a hand as his son tried to protest. ‘I know you never stole them, and so do you, but how do we prove it?’

Ted’s jaw flinched as he mulled this over. His father was right: how do you prove you never took something? Or force someone to keep you employed when they don’t want or have to? He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck, which was tense. ‘I’m sorry, Dad, and I know you think this is summat to do with me and Toff, but I don’t see how it can be. I’ve only seen her a handful of times since her father give her a black eye, and we’ve been really careful not to be seen.’

Mr Hewitt rolled his eyes. ‘When you’ve only eyes for each other, you can easily miss being spotted by someone passing by.’ He relaxed a little. ‘I’ve seen the two of you together and you remind me of your mother and me when we first met. The world could have gone on fire and I doubt we’d have noticed, but like I told you from the start, people like us don’t mix with people like them. It’s not like the movies, love doesn’t conquer all.’

Tom shook his head. ‘You’re wrong, Dad. Me and Toff were different.’