Jenny helped Ma back to her comfy armchair and shut the front door, mulling over the idea of a place where people in dire need could go for help.

‘You’re quiet, ducky,’ Ma said.

‘Sorry.’ Jenny smiled at her. ‘I was just thinking that I’d like to have seen you give that man a clip around the ear.’

‘Ah, there was a day when I would have done it too. When things get rough, some men try to escape with drink, but it don’t work, Jen. The next day they sober up and the troubles are still there, only worse because they’ve spent money that should have been used to feed their families. You can’t run from these things, but you of all people know that, don’t you, pet?’

Jenny nodded.

‘Any chance of a cup of cocoa?’ Ma yawned.

‘I was just going to get it. I’ve got some biscuits as well. Broken ones, of course.’

‘Smashing. Don’t matter about them being broken. We chews them up anyway.’ Ma caught Jenny’s hand as she went to walk by. ‘Don’t you fret none. Everything’s going to be just fine.’

Jenny bent and kissed her cheek. ‘Have you been reading the tea leaves again?’

‘And right interesting they were too.’ Then Ma gave a deep laugh and another yawn.

18

October 1931

‘How are we doing, Jake?’ Matt perched on the end of his boss’s desk when everyone else had left the garage. They had struggled through the summer, and with autumn here the spectre of unemployment was raising its head again.

‘We’re paying our way – just. But without you propping up the business we’d have gone under weeks ago.’ Jake ran a hand through his thinning hair. ‘But I’m afraid you’re going to lose your money, lad, ’cos I don’t know how much longer we can keep going.’

‘I’ve got an idea about that.’ Matt stood up. ‘Come with me.’

He led his boss to the front of the garage and swept his hand out. There was a large concrete yard where people parked their cars when bringing them in for repair.

When Matt didn’t speak, Jake frowned. ‘So?’

‘We could knock down that low wall and leave a wide-open space so people could wander in straight off the pavement.’

Jake looked bemused. ‘Why would they want to do that?’

‘To have a look at the second-hand cars we’ve got for sale.’ Matt shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders, hardly able to control his enthusiasm, but he mustn’t push too hard. ‘People are selling their cars to raise money, and we could pick up quality vehicles cheaply.’

‘But who’s going to buy them? Everyone’s broke, Matt.’ Jake spoke as if the boy standing beside him had lost his mind.