The door flying open caught their attention. ‘Ma – Da’s gone out to sea. There was an SOS from a sinking ship that had hit a mine. But in the control room we picked up a report of a German U-boat torpedoing another ship.’

‘Eeh, naw, lad – naw.’ This was too much to bear. Her Angus was in danger.

‘What about your Uncle Rory? Did he go as well, Roderick?’

‘Aye, he did, Aunt Sue. They’d gone after the smaller ship, before the distress signal concerning the U-boat came in. There was nothing to be done to stop them.’

Betsy looked from one to the other. Her whole world was crumbling as she did so. A gasp from Susan brought her out of the anguish that clothed her. ‘They’ll be fine, Sue. Our men are indestructible; they knaw every wave of that sea, and that’ll give them an advantage. Afore we knaw it, they’ll be coming through that door whistling, as if nowt’s happened. Now, let’s get that tea.’

Betsy’s hand shook as she pushed the hot plate holding the kettle over the flames of the fire, but preparing the teapot and getting the mugs out helped her. She was better when she was busy; and aye, she thought, it was time she showed the mettle she’d always had within her. Moping about the injustice of everything wasn’t helping anyone.

With this new-found courage, Betsy moved through from her kitchen to where the others were gathered in the front room. She still loved this old house, which belonged to Mags; well, her half of the house did, as Mags had divided it up to make a home for herself, too, and still used her half on visits. But even so, Betsy had ample space, with three bedrooms, a bathroom, a living kitchen and this posh room, which she hardly ever used these days.

‘Right, cure-all: a lovely pot of tea, or a Rosy Lee, as you sometimes call it, Sue. Eeh, you London lot, you talk funny at times.’

Susan laughed out loud at this. ‘Me? I like that. What with you calling ears “lugs”, and women “lasses” and a mug of tea “a pot”! I think you’re the funny talker, out of us two.’

They all joined in the laughter. It wasn’t a real belly-laugh, like those they used to share, but it was a start, and it showed Betsy how much she could influence the mood of so many people. No matter that her young ’uns had grown up and left, they still relied on her, and she hadn’t been the strongest for them since this war broke out. Well, that was going to change.

‘Does you miss your old life in London, Sue? In all these years, I’ve never asked you.’