‘And you’ve been giving extra food to Georgie off your own plate for ages, don’t think I haven’t seen,’ said Dolly, mock-sternly. ‘You practically starve yourself, my girl. Well, that has to stop. Think, Violet. This is important. If I’m right, we’ve got to get you eating proper whether you feel up to it or not. There might be more than just you to consider.’

Violet slowly pushed herself to her feet. It was as if she was waking up from a dream. ‘Maybe. Let me try to remember. Easter week … well, I know I had the monthlies in March because they were painful as can be and Sarah made me a special herb tea, but perhaps …’ She looked at the smoke-yellowed ceiling as if the answer might be written there. Moments passed. Then she shook her head again. ‘There’s been nothing like that since. I’m sure now. To be honest I was tired out before we got the news that he’d died and I thought it was just one of those things. I’d forgotten that. Yes, I was like this before.’ Her face changed and she turned to Dolly. ‘Do you think it can be true, Mam? I might be carrying Eddy’s baby? Really? Is that why I’ve been so poorly? If that’s what it is, I don’t care. I’ll be sick all the time, I’ll never complain. I can’t believe it.’ She started to cry, a mixture of sorrow and joy. ‘Oh, Mam, we talked about having children all the time. I so wanted to have his children.’

‘I know, love. I know.’ Dolly went to hug her, carefully now.

‘It wouldn’t make up for losing him,’ Violet went on, ‘but this way I’d still have something of him; he’d be living on through his baby. It would be wonderful.’

‘It would,’ Dolly agreed, blotting out the fears that it would be hard for a young woman on her own to raise a child without its father. Well, she would just have to make sure Violet didn’t have to cope alone, that all the rest of the family would help out – just as Violet had helped out up to now. ‘And that means, my girl, that you really are going to have to start eating properly. Never mind being tired, you have to think about that child on its way. We’ll have to get your rations sorted too. You’ll get clothes points, you know.’

Violet huffed. ‘That’s the least of my worries, Mam. I can borrow Rita’s things when I get big, I know she’ll let me. I haven’t felt like eating for weeks though.’