‘Doubt it,’ said Mabel, ‘people like him get away with murder.’ She shot Roz a meaningful glance.

‘And yet good men like Felix get taken to the other side of the world for doing nothing!’ Roz said ruefully. ‘It doesn’t seem right, does it?’

Roz had never mentioned Felix in front of Gethin before, and he was curious to find out more.

‘Who’s Felix?’

‘He came over with me on the Kindertransport. Everything was fine until he got interned for being an enemy alien.’ She looked up from milking one of the cows. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve heard of HMT Dunera …’ She fell silent as Gethin’s eyebrows shot upwards.

‘You’re kidding?’ he said in hushed tones.

‘You’ve heard of it, then?’

Gethin nodded slowly. ‘I thought everyone knew of the Dunera and what sounds like the voyage from hell.’

Thinking that Gethin was referring to the failed torpedo, Roz waved a vague hand. ‘I wouldn’t go that far – it’s not as if any harm was done,’ she said, adding, ‘luckily enough.’

Gethin stared at her. ‘I wouldn’t call being beaten, having your water rationed to three days a week, and all your possessions thrown into the sea, lucky!’

Roz stared back, utterly perplexed. She had no idea what Gethin was on about and could only assume they must be talking about different ships, or journeys. She said as much, but Gethin was resolute.

‘I know what I’m talking about, it’s been in the papers and on the news. The doctor who boarded the ship in Sydney said conditions were disgusting, and that people had been treated inhumanely.’ His eyes searched Roz’s for any sign of understanding. ‘They were shipped along with Nazis and Italian fascists … didn’t you know?’

Roz stood up sharply, spooking the cow in front of her. ‘Of course I didn’t know! I thought you were referring to the torpedo which glanced off the ship. When did all this come out?’

‘Not long ago, and if you ask me Churchill’s been trying to keep it all pretty hush-hush.’ He shot her another incredulous look. ‘There’s been outrage amongst the British people, saying they should bring them back, and that it should never have happened in the first place. I don’t know how you couldn’t have heard anything.’

‘Because I was either in Hutton or here,’ said Roz, who was finding all this rather hard to believe. ‘Why didn’t Alan or Bill say something?’ Still convinced Gethin must have his wires crossed, she looked at him thoughtfully. ‘Did anyone die, on the voyage, I mean?’

Gethin looked awkward. ‘A few,’ he said, quickly adding, ‘I think they were probably the older men, though. I’m sure Felix will be alright.’