It was in a dreadful state, but at first glance the place appeared to be structurally sound. It was large and had a good-sized kitchen with two gas stoves that looked as if they might be all right after a good clean. Matt turned the tap over the sink, and, after a lot of clanging and shuddering, rusty-coloured water poured out. He left it running and it eventually cleared.

‘What do you think?’ Glad was peering in one of the ovens, and then turned a gas tap. ‘Gas has been cut off, so’s the electricity.’

‘We’ll have to get them connected again, but it might do.’ Matt shoved his hands in his pockets and spun round on the balls of his feet. ‘My mother and her committee will have to look it over first.’

‘Right. I’ll leave that to you.’ Glad was heading for the door. ‘You let me know what’s decided. You knows where we live.’ Then she was gone.

Matt returned to the garage, very subdued. He’d been pleased with his effort to save Jake’s business, but this was only a very tiny part of what was happening all over the country. He read the papers, of course, but today was the first time he’d really been in amongst the suffering. Mayfair was not exactly a deprived area!

They were busy that afternoon and sold two cars, but even this failed to lift his spirits. He could see those men outside the factory, feel their hopelessness, and, even worse, Jenny’s pinched, tired face kept swimming before his eyes. He felt so angry about everything.

Fortunately Matt calmed down in time for dinner that evening. He explained about the hall and wrote down the address for his mother.

‘Sounds like it needs a lot of work before it’s fit for use,’ his father said. ‘You’d better employ a couple of local men to help, Louise.’

‘You won’t have any trouble getting workers,’ Matt said. ‘Once word gets round, you’ll have them queuing ten deep.’

‘I expect we shall, Matt.’ His mother gazed at the succulent meal in front of her as if it were an offence. ‘How was Jenny?’

‘Exhausted, by the look of her. She and a neighbour by the name of Glad had been up all night. The man next door died, evidently.’

His mother’s knife and fork clattered on to the plate. ‘I’ve quite lost my appetite.’

A trickle of rain plopped from the brim of Jenny’s hat and ran down her nose. The heavy drizzle was the kind that soaked you right through, and it couldn’t be a worse day for Ted Roper’s funeral. She watched the coffin being lowered into the muddy hole in the ground. It was a bleak, sad occasion, as Agnes stood white-faced with lips clenched together, and young Jimmy sobbed quietly by her side.