‘Have you had any more luck tracing your daughter?’ said Dana.

Olivia shook her head. ‘I’ve all but given up. I’m even beginning to think that Dad might have been telling the truth from the beginning.’

Jess and Dana instantly rallied. ‘Oh no, you mustn’t do that,’ they said in unison.

‘I’m sure you’ll find her when the war’s over. It’ll help enormously when everything returns to normal and you can quiz the authorities responsible for taking orphans in. They might have taken your daughter from Greystones and rehomed her elsewhere,’ Dana said encouragingly.

‘There’s an orphanage for boys, called Nazareth House, not far from Greystones,’ Jess said. ‘It might be an idea to give them a call.’

Olivia brightened; for the first time in a long while she felt hope return. She became aware that Sylvie had brought the old woman over to join them, and the old woman’s head whipped up as she saw Olivia’s eyes glisten with tears. ‘I know you,’ she said. ‘I can’t think where from, but I definitely know you.’

Olivia wanted to tell the old bat to go away and leave her alone, but of course she couldn’t, so instead she smiled sweetly down at her, and to her surprise the woman smiled back, and this time, her eyes smiled too, in a kind and friendly fashion, the same as they had all those years ago. Olivia’s mouth dropped open. She not only recognised the woman but she knew where she had seen her before.

‘It’s you,’ she said, her voice barely above a whisper. ‘I’d bet my life on it – you’re the matron from the hospital that night.’

The smile faded from the old woman’s lips and she quickly fished around the inside of her handbag for a pair of spectacles which she promptly placed on the bridge of her nose. Leaning forward, she peered up at Olivia who was now kneeling down beside her. ‘Tell me I’m wrong,’ Olivia said quietly.

The old woman dropped the spectacles into her lap. ‘I said I never forget a face, and you’re right, it was me.’

Ted looked around the sea of faces, all equally mystified by the conversation unfolding between the two women. He cleared his throat. ‘Where do you know each other from?’

Olivia straightened up. Turning to face the girls, she stared at them, whilst speaking to the old woman. ‘But how could I not know …’