Scrambling into his trousers, Joe raced to the bottom of the stairs. ‘Quick, Mam… I’ll fend the buggers off. You get Molly’s young ’uns away as fast as you can!’ He stared up at her with pleading eyes. ‘Do as I say, Mam… for pity’s sake, DO AS I SAY!’ He knew now. It was no nightmare! Dear God above, what devil had possessed him to go to the Justice Crowther?

As she stared at her son’s stricken eyes, Tilly was gripped with an awful realization. When she spoke, it was with a sinking sense of horror. ‘Aw, no! Dear Lord, our Joe… you’ve never brought the authorities to the door?’ The guilt on his face was her answer. ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph! You have. You’ve betrayed Molly’s trust in old Tilly.’ She threw her hands to her head and shook her whole body from side to side, as though fending off an attacker. ‘What’ll we do now? Dear God, what’ll we do now?’ All sense of reason fled her thoughts, as the noise outside grew more insistent. Now there were voices – angry, threatening voices, promising all kinds of terrible retribution ‘if this door isn’t opened straightaway’!

By now the children too were out on the landing, some loudly crying, some softly whimpering. Only little Sal remained deathly silent.

On swift and silent steps, Joe bounded up the stairs. ‘Please, Mam! Get the bairns out afore they break down the door!’ he urged, taking Tilly by the shoulders and gently shaking her. ‘I’ll hold ’em off while you make your getaway. Head for The Navigation… tell them Joe’s asking a favour. They’ll give you shelter till it’s safe.’ At that minute, the thumping and shouting stopped and there followed a chilling silence. Tilly put her fingers to her lips, urging the children to be quiet. When gradually they did so, she murmured to Joe, ‘They’ve gone, son. The buggers have gone after all, eh?’

‘No. They haven’t gone,’ he told her in the softest of whispers, beginning to gather the children towards him while keeping an eye on the front door. He was mortally afraid that it might fly open at any minute. ‘They’ll not leave this house till they get what they’ve come for.’ He looked at Tilly, and the warning in his eyes was like a knife through her heart.

‘And what is it they’ve come for, our Joe?’ she demanded, her condemning eyes drilling through him. ‘What have you done, you bad ’un? What is it they want?’

Joe gave no reply, other than to shift his fearful gaze to where Molly’s three were huddled together. It was enough!

‘Oh, you bad ’un, Joe. God forgive you,’ Tilly muttered, making the sign of the cross on herself, and rushing back in the bedroom, from where she collected a shawl to cover her long nightshirt. The children were not afforded such ‘luxury’, but nevertheless were warm and decent enough in their thick ankle-length garments. Quickly she ushered them down the stairs. ‘Softly now, young ’uns. Stay close to Tilly.’ Joe led the way, praying with every step that they might get away with it. In a long, silent line, they tiptoed through the back parlour. Joe had a mind to send them along the narrow ginnel that led to the brook. From there they could climb the bank and find their way along the alleys to The Navigation ale house. It would have been easier for them to go by way of the cellar but since the steps from these cellars led directly to the front of the house, he was left with no choice.