‘Here you are. Put these on. There was an old pair on the rack. They’re dry.’

The boots were too big and chafed the back of her knees if she tried to bend her legs, but Ella made no complaint. Holding hands, they waded through the house to the back door and peered out. The black water rose and fell but there were no longer huge, swollen waves gushing towards them. Above the noise of the wind, they could hear the frightened cows lowing piteously from the cowshed.

‘Poor beggars!’ her grandmother muttered. ‘Still, it shouldn’t be too deep in there. I think the brick floor’s built up a bit higher. It’s the pigs I’m bothered about. Lady, and the two gilts.’

Ella said, ‘Lady?’

‘The sow,’ Esther said and added, ‘Well, Missy, are ya ready?’

Clenching her teeth together to stop them chattering, Ella said, ‘Yes, Gran.’

Holding on to each other they waded out into the yard. The wind plucked at them and the sea swirled around them, threatening to bowl them over and plunge them beneath the black surface. The water slapped over the top of Ella’s boots and ran, like ice, down her legs.

‘Hang on to me, Missy. Dun’t let go, whatever ya do,’ her grandmother shouted above the noise of the wind. Ella made no reply, concentrating on keeping her balance, dreadfully afraid of falling down.

They reached the sty and Esther pulled open the top half of the stable-type door. ‘Can you see ’em?’

The girl peered into the gloom. ‘No – I – oh, there’s something floating . . .’

‘Oh, damn it!’ her grandmother muttered. ‘We’re too late.’

Then out of the darkness came a snuffling grunt, and the water splashed against the door. ‘It’s Lady,’ Esther said joyfully. She unlatched the door and dragged it open, stretching out her hands in the darkness to feel the bristly back of the huge sow. ‘Come on, old girl. Grab hold of her ear, Ella, and let’s take her back to the house.’

‘The – the house?’

‘I can’t leave her out here. If the water comes any higher, she’ll drown too. It’s only ’cos she’s such a big pig . . .’

The animal was struggling to escape, but Ella grasped her ear and keeping her between them, they shuffled back towards the house, the pig grunting and squealing in protest.

They pushed her in through the back door.

Taking a moment’s respite, Esther looked down at the pig standing in the middle of her kitchen, grunting gently, the water up to its belly. ‘Well, I never thought I’d be trying to get a pig up me stairs, but that’s where she’ll have to go, into the little bedroom.’

‘In my room? With me?’ Ella was wide-eyed.