‘Ann, my dear. I am glad to see you.’ Margaret looked her friend up and down, trying to conceal her surprise. Last night she had been wearing a shimmering evening gown that would grace a ball; now she wore widow’s weeds. ‘You are in full mourning. Is there a particular reason? Any evidence?’ Margaret’s face was pinched as she showed Ann into the morning room.

‘I now have definite knowledge he was on the train.’ Ann sat down with a thump and looked out towards the sea. She lifted the black veil from her forehead and swept it back over the crown of her bonnet.

‘Did you hear from the doctors at the mortuary? Did they find—’

‘I should prefer not to discuss this further at the moment, Margaret,’ Ann said, removing a handkerchief from her bag and dabbing at her eyes.

‘Of course, Ann. Of course. How are the children?’

Ann nodded. ‘As children always are. Sturdy and robust. They will recover from the loss of their father.’ She sniffed and glanced up at her friend. ‘Far more quickly than I should recover from the loss of a husband.’

‘Ann, my dear, how are you?’ Archibald swept into the room and took her hand. He looked puzzled. ‘I see you are in full mourning today. Have you had news?’

‘I just explained to Margaret, I should prefer not to discuss this until I am feeling stronger. But I now know for sure that Robert was on the train. There is absolutely no doubt. And so now, nine days after the tragedy, I must begin to grieve as a widow.’

The Donaldsons both looked solicitous.

‘Will it be appropriate for you to begin to plan the funeral, Ann?’

She snuffled and delicately wiped her nose. ‘I think not yet, we shall wait and see… Perhaps some sort of memorial service, in time.’

‘That is a fine idea. And you must permit us to assist in anything with regards to a service.’

Ann turned to Archibald and looked into his kind brown eyes. ‘Thank you.’

‘Archibald has been asked by Dr Anderson to assist at the mortuary all this week. They expect many more bodies now.’

Ann nodded and looked down. ‘Yes, I have heard.’

‘Might you wish to…’ The doctor paused and cleared his throat. ‘Might you wish to see if there is any possibility of identification, Ann? Shall I send for you should I discover anything?’

‘Oh, I don’t think I would be able to withstand any more anguish. No, thank you, Archibald. I should be most grateful if you can attend to any formalities at the mortuary for me.’ She swallowed. ‘As and when that might occur. They say some poor souls will never be found, some may be washed many hundreds, indeed thousands of miles away. Perhaps they might even end up ashore in Australia.’

The clock struck eleven. ‘Will you take tea, Ann?’