Smiling sympathetically, he looked back at the ship. ‘I’m afraid not, queen. The most I can do is promise to keep an eye on him.’

Realising that there was nothing more that could be done, Roz stood on the quayside until the ship set sail. Even then she refused to leave until it was lost from sight, when she turned and walked home to the empty flat that should’ve been called home.

Feeling unable to go into the flat without Felix by her side, she sat on the steps. At the sound of approaching footsteps, she lifted her head. Hope ever present, she called out to her unseen visitor. ‘Felix?’

Bill rounded the corner, shaking his head sadly. ‘I’m afraid not, queen.’

Roz looked at Bill. He was ashen-faced, and the look of dread said it all. She placed her fingers to her lips, trying to stop the words which she feared to speak. ‘What’s happened?’

‘Torpedo,’ said Bill simply, adding hastily as Roz grabbed the stair banister for support, ‘only a glancing blow, no one’s been hurt, but they’ve had to change course.’

Sinking onto the step, Roz placed her head in her hands. ‘Honestly, Bill! I thought something even more terrible …’ She shook her head as relief swamped her.

Bill sat on the step next to her and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. ‘Sorry, queen, I didn’t mean to scare you.’

Sniffing, she wiped her nose with her handkerchief and leaned into Bill’s shoulder. ‘He’s alright, and that’s the main thing.’ She glanced up at him through wet lashes. ‘You said they’ve had to change course?’

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.