Since the tape had been removed from their mouths, Harry had done nothing but shout and curse, but his brazen attitude had now wilted a bit and he’d just started to cry. Being snatched by the men had been a terrible shock, but seeing his sister already in the back of the van was an even bigger one. He was glad Georgie was there, though, as he wouldn’t want to go through this frightening experience alone.

Eddie studied his grandchildren carefully. With Georgie, he’d felt a slight tug on his heartstrings because of her likeness to Frankie, but Harry hadn’t had any effect on him yet. Both children looked, sounded, and behaved like gypsy kids, which he’d fully expected. What he hadn’t reckoned on was their reluctance to calm down so that he could explain what was going on. Seeing tears appear in Georgie’s eyes as well, Ed decided this was as good a time as any to have a little chat with them.

‘Please don’t be frightened because nobody here is gonna hurt you. I’m sorry if we scared you back there, but we didn’t have a lot of choice but to grab you the way we did.’

‘Why did you grab us, then? Are you nonces?’ Georgie asked, glaring at Eddie defiantly.

‘No. I’m your grandad.’

Georgie and Harry glanced at one another. Both had stopped crying now, but neither knew if this man was telling the truth or not. Harry decided to test him. ‘You ain’t our grandad. Jimmy’s our grandad,’ he snarled.

‘You’ve got two grandads. Jimmy’s your dad’s father and I’m your mother’s,’ Eddie explained. He was relieved he finally had their attention at last.

‘I’m your Uncle Gary, that’s your Uncle Ricky and the man driving is your Uncle Raymond. You’ll see your mum soon,’ Gary added, smiling at Georgie.

‘So where is our mum, then?’ Georgie asked distrustfully.

‘Waiting for you at home. That’s where we’re taking ya,’ Ed replied.

‘I don’t wanna go there,’ Harry shouted.

‘I can’t leave my boyfriend. I love him and we’re getting married when I’m sixteen,’ Georgie said, bursting into tears.

‘Don’t you think we should untie their arms now, Dad? There’s some cans of drink and crisps in the front, they might be hungry,’ Ricky suggested.

‘Go on, then,’ Ed replied.

‘Ain’t you gonna ring Frankie and Larry?’ Raymond shouted out.

‘I’m not gonna ring Larry till the morning now. It’s gonna be nearly midnight by the time we get home and I couldn’t stand a houseful of Old Bill and social workers tonight. Let Frankie spend a bit of time with ’em first, and I’ll call Larry first thing tomorrow.’

‘You’d best tell Frankie we’ve got ’em,’ Gary urged.