The girl’s white face broke into a smile. ‘Ah’ll look after her, missus.’ She opened the door wider inviting Esther to step inside. ‘The young ’uns are all in bed, so they’ll not disturb her and . . .’ She led the way into the living kitchen and pointed to another cradle set on a chair in the corner by the range, ‘Ah’m already looking after young Danny.’

Esther stopped abruptly in the doorway and drew breath sharply. She had never stopped to think that she might encounter Matthew’s other child.

‘Come in, missus,’ the girl was saying, her eyes on Esther’s face. ‘It’ll be all right, honest it will.’

Esther managed a weak smile, torn by conflicting emotions. She could hardly retreat without looking foolish, and she couldn’t bear to return home to continue that awful, lonely waiting.

She sighed and came to a decision. Living so close, she could not hope to avoid meeting the Eland family for ever, she supposed. Pressing her lips together she stepped determinedly into the room and placed her cradle on a chair in the opposite corner of the room. She stood a moment looking towards the other cradle.

‘Want to have a look, missus?’ Was there a note of slyness in the young girl’s voice? Did she know the full story? Esther sighed inwardly. She supposed so, and thought ruefully, who around here didn’t know?

Esther nodded and stepped closer as Enid drew back the blanket from the baby.

‘He’s a grand lad. Black hair, ’ee’s got, and the darkest brown eyes you ever saw in a bairn. He’ll break a few hearts when he’s grown.’

Esther said nothing as she looked down upon the child and saw for herself that there was no mistaking who his father was. Matthew could never have denied his paternity of this boy even if he had wanted to, nor could anyone else. She felt a moment’s pity for Robert Eland who seemed to be the only really innocent person in all of this.

She turned away abruptly. ‘I won’t be long, but I – I just have to go and see . . .’

The girl nodded understandingly.

Leaning into the howling wind, Esther dragged herself up the last dune. As she ran down the other side and on to the beach, she gasped in surprise. There was a large crowd gathered on the sands, several holding lanterns so that the lights shivered and shook in the wind, but showed a welcoming light for the lifeboat to come home.

Esther threaded her way amongst the crowd, glancing into the dark faces for someone she knew. Before them huge waves crashed on to the sand and rushed up the beach. People were standing near the water’s edge, but from time to time were driven back when the waves raced towards them.