‘Look at you, me lasses. Eeh, I’m that proud of you.’ Betsy felt worry enter her as she welcomed Daisy, Florrie and Rosie home. ‘Now, come on, what’s your news? Oh, aye, I knaws as you have some – I can see it in your face, our Florrie.’

‘Ma, there’s naw easy way to tell you, but me and Florrie have been posted.’

Betsy’s gasp rasped in her throat. The moment she’d been dreading was upon her.

‘Now, don’t worry, Ma. It’s a good posting – not to a trouble-spot, but to a military base. We may not even see any wounded.’

Despite this reassurance from Daisy, Betsy didn’t feel at ease, though she began to as she listened to their excited chatter about their expectations of Singapore.

‘So how’s things here, Ma? Have you heard from Billy?’

‘Naw, and I’m worried for him. The last we heard he was going to the Far East an’ all. Malaya, aye, that were it. It’s all too much, at times. I have four of you all over the place, and Roderick, well, he’s only three years off call-up age, what if—’

‘Oh, Ma. Come here.’

At this from Florrie, Betsy found herself in the arms of her girls. Her heart was breaking.

‘Oh? And what’s this all about? You all look like doom and gloom’s hitting home.’

‘Aunt Sue!’

‘Whoops, careful, Florrie, me darling, you nearly knocked me off me pins. It’s good to see you all – you’re a sight to cheer us.’

‘I’ll put the kettle on.’ Betsy could think of nothing else to do or say. Things were as they were, as Angus was always telling her. But although her usual way would be simply to get on with it, she just couldn’t. What ma could, in such circumstances? She was going to be left with none of her brood safe – none of them.

This thought had hardly left her when the dreaded hooter sounded, signalling that the lifeboat needed to be launched. It was a sound they were hearing a lot lately, as stricken boats hit a mine or were shelled by enemy aircraft. ‘Eeh, that’ll mean Angus and Rory have to go out. I tell you, it’s all driving me mad.’

‘Ma, why don’t you do sommat that’ll help the war effort? It’ll make you feel better, I’m sure.’

‘Like what, Daisy? What can I do, stuck up here?’

Betsy felt excitement as she listened to Daisy’s suggestions. She hadn’t imagined that she could help by getting her workers to knit socks and suchlike for the soldiers, or by collecting tinned food for them in London. The prospect cheered her.