He nodded grimly. ‘I’ve a pal what’s in the Navy, he serves on board the SS Malakand, but he gets to hear all the gossip. Anyway, he reckons the Dunera reported a change of course due to the danger she was in, especially after what happened to the Arandora Star.’ Seeing Roz’s blank expression, he continued, ‘She got hit by a torpedo, only she wasn’t as lucky as the Dunera, which is why they’ve set a new course for Australia …’ He looked at Roz, whose head had snapped up upon hearing the word Australia.

‘But … Australia’s the other side of the world …’

‘I know,’ Bill said simply.

‘How long will it take them to get there?’ She shifted to a more comfortable position. ‘It took hours just to cross the Channel, and Australia’s much further than that!’

‘I don’t know, queen, and in answer to your question, it’ll be weeks, if not months.’ He shrugged helplessly. ‘I really couldn’t say for sure.’

‘I’m never going to see him again, am I?’ said Roz, her voice hoarse with emotion.

Bill wanted to reassure her, but how could he under the circumstances? Australia was the other side of the world, getting there wasn’t going to be easy, and as for getting back … A lad like Felix wouldn’t be able to pay for his passage back to England, and the Navy wouldn’t bring him back when he wasn’t a British national. He tried to put on a brave face. ‘If I know our Felix, wild horses won’t stop him coming back to you.’ He glanced up the stairwell. ‘You’ve got this place for a month, but what’ll you do after that? With the best will in the world he won’t be back before the month’s up.’

‘I suppose I could ask Mabel, although it’s pretty cramped at her place.’

Bill got to his feet. ‘If all else fails you’re welcome to kip on our sofa.’ He glanced at his wristwatch. ‘I’d better be getting back – Alan doesn’t know about the Dunera yet.’ He gave Roz a warm, friendly hug. ‘You must let me or Alan know if you need anything.’

Nodding, she waited until he was out of sight before heading up the steps and into the flat. She had stopped off at the butcher’s on her way to work to buy some corned beef so that they might have corned beef and tomato sandwiches for their supper. Taking the net bag she had used to carry the goods, she placed the bread, meat, and tomatoes on a plate, and rooted round in one of the kitchen drawers for a knife.