Esther gripped her arms, not pausing to express surprise at Kate being there; there was only one thought on her mind.

‘Where is he? Where’s ya dad? Where’s Jonathan?’

Thirty

‘Isn’t he with you?’ Kate realized it was a stupid question immediately she’d spoken.

Her mother shook her head wildly. ‘No – no. I’ve been into town – in the trap. I saw the bombs. I – I thought it was the farm . . .’ She gulped painfully. ‘I came tearing home – a bomb had landed in the lane – I had to go right round by the Grange to get back.’

‘Where is me dad, then?’

Esther was staring with terrified eyes at the ruins of the pub and clinging to Kate, her grip so intense that her fingers dug into Kate’s arms. ‘He – he said he would tek the cows up to North Marsh Field and then when he came back he – he might walk down the road and have a – game of dominoes at the pub.’

‘Esther.’ Beth’s voice came gently, flat and unemotional. Kate turned and saw her standing just behind them. ‘Leave her to me, Katie love. You go and – help.’

Kate eased herself from her mother’s grasp and Beth took her place, putting her arm about Esther and holding her close. Never taking her gaze from the heap of rubble, Esther clung to Beth and the two women stood together in silence watching and waiting . . .

They found the landlord first. He had been standing behind the bar when the bomb had come whistling down. With seconds to spare, he had dived under the counter of the bar and, though cut and bruised, he was still alive when the rescuers dug their way to him. The workers continued and more helpers arrived from town. Gently they removed the rubble brick by brick.

‘There’s someone here. Oh, no . . .’

Kate glanced back towards her mother and Beth. She saw Esther start forward, saw Beth hold her back. Kate saw Beth’s lips moving and knew she was talking softly, soothingly to Esther. ‘Wait, just wait, Esther. They’ll – tell us.’

They had found Tom Willoughby – and Robert Eland.

‘They wouldn’t have known much about it.’ The doctor, who had been one of those to arrive from town, tried to comfort them. ‘It would have been very – quick.’

Esther had her arms about Beth, who stood looking down at the lifeless form of her husband. ‘Poor Robert,’ Beth murmured. ‘He didn’t deserve that.’

‘No – no, he didn’t. He was a good man.’ Esther patted her arm. Now it was she who must comfort Beth.

The search was continuing and Esther was leading Beth away to her own cottage, while still glancing back anxiously over her shoulder at the devastated building.

Something made Kate glance towards the Hump. ‘Mam!’ she shouted, and pointed.