True to her word she was back moments later with an ARP warden who smiled at them encouragingly.

‘Right then, children,’ he said cheerily. ‘This ’ere lady says you need some ’elp. Why don’t you tell me all about what’s been goin’ on, eh?’

And so, between them the children haltingly told them all about Ben taking them from school and making them stay with him and when they were done, he asked, ‘An’ where is this Ben now?’

Daisy shook her head. ‘We don’t know. We stayed in a smelly little room an’ when he went out this morning to get us some food we run away. We want to go home to our mum!’

‘Of course you do.’ The man patted her head. ‘Let’s get you down to the police station, eh? The policeman can let your mum know where you are then and you’ll be home in no time, you just see if you ain’t, me beauties.’

And so, they trustingly allowed him to take their hands and lead them out into the bomb-damaged streets, praying that he was telling the truth and their nightmare might soon be over.

Chapter Forty-Nine

‘Here we are then,’ Ben said cheerfully as he entered the small rented room holding a bag of food. ‘I’ve got us a few …’ His voice trailed away as he stared at the children’s empty bed and his heart sank.

‘Thomas … Daisy …’ he called, as if speaking their names might make them miraculously appear, but only silence greeted him and he sank heavily onto the side of the bed as the bag fell from his hands, scattering the contents all over the floor. They had gone. His attempts at being a father to them had failed dismally. He should have realised how unhappy they were. When the air raid siren started to wail, he just sat on, not much caring if he lived or died. He had made a complete mess of his life and he had nothing left to live for. Curling himself into a ball on the crumpled sheets he started to shake. It would be pointless trying to find them, they could be anywhere by now, but if they should be killed in the raid it would be all his fault for taking them away from the safety of their home. As the enormity of what he had done struck home he began to cry great gulping sobs that threatened to choke him.

Kathy was standing at her usual position at the window peering down the drive into the gathering gloom of the afternoon. Leaning towards Cissie, Sunday whispered, ‘I don’t think her nerves can take much more of this. If the children aren’t found soon, I swear she’ll crack!’