She nodded acknowledgement and continued on towards the main steps. Inside the station the broken glass was gone. Someone had at least attempted to clear some of the debris from the storm; it would be a long, slow process. There were people waiting on the platform, some sitting and some standing, all eerily silent, as if they had been struck dumb. The door to the third class waiting room was open. Ann peered inside and saw a dozen or so persons, all dressed in black, most staring at the floor. One man lifted his head and as she glanced at him she saw his expression; it was one of long-suffering supplication.

Ann pulled her handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed her nose. She was appalled at the sight of these poor people, waiting and wondering. Could nothing be done? And then she saw a man on his knees, consoling an old woman in the corner. It was Alec Smith.

Ann waved her hankie in the air and he came towards the door.

‘Mrs Craig,’ he said, wringing his hands together. ‘I was just telling the relatives the Fairweather has been out on the river again, with the diver.’

‘Yes, I heard.’

‘Will you come to my office? I have a few minutes before I must leave.’ He gestured the way and beckoned for Baxter to follow.

Inside the little office it was cold and empty, the telegraph machine silent.

‘Mrs Craig, have you heard there is a body?’

She nodded. ‘Baxter here told me, but I have no details, only that it was a woman.’

‘Last night, just before sunset, a mussel dredger was out on the river, about three miles from the bridge, north-east of Newport. One of the men on board noticed something drifting between sandbanks. He rowed over to it and saw it was a body.’

He opened his mouth to continue then looked down at the floor.

‘Mr Smith, I am not so feeble that I cannot hear the unpalatable truth.’ Ann removed her gloves and flicked them impatiently between her hands.

Alec Smith gazed at her soft, pale hands. ‘He saw it was a woman, her poke bonnet was still tied beneath her chin and her black skirts floated around her. He managed to fish her out with a hook.’

Ann pressed her lips together and grimaced.

‘The body was brought here. It is yet to be identified. We have made the refreshments room into a mortuary. Now there is one body, we expect many more.’

Ann nodded. ‘Has anything else come ashore?’

‘Yes, I was along at the harbour earlier and the master told me there’s all sorts come ashore a couple of miles away at Broughty Ferry beach. Items are being washed up on the sand at low tide.’

‘What sort of items?’

‘Gentleman’s vests in a package, a woman’s handbag containing a bible. A pair of spectacles, shoes, several full mailbags.’ He paused. ‘A child’s handkerchief.’