‘Frank,’ she said. ‘Frank, I’m sorry. I was angry with you and I shouldn’t have been. I just want you to be all right. Can you hear me?’

She strained her ears for any response, but all that came were the low moans, some close by, others further away. Somewhere there was a crumbling noise, as if the rubble was shifting. Would that be the rescuers arriving, or more buildings collapsing on top of them? No, she couldn’t think of that. It was too frightening. She had to stay calm. But where was he?

‘Frank!’ she called again, realising her voice was muffled by the weight of stone above and all around her. He might be just yards away and unable to hear her. ‘Frank!’ she called as loudly as she could, and another sharp jolt of pain shot through her left arm.

There was more silence. Then, faintly, she thought she heard a different noise. She wasn’t sure at first if she was imagining it. Then it came again. ‘Kitty.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

It was dark by the time Alfie left the King’s Head. He wasn’t sure how late it was but it didn’t matter. He’d make his way back home, pick up the car and then take it round to Empire Street and go to see Kitty. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of this before. All he had to do was present himself at her house and she’d be his. To his confused and seething brain, this tangled logic made complete sense.

The walk back to his house seemed far longer than the walk out, but that must be because of the dark. Everything felt as if it lasted longer at night-time, he assured himself. It was nothing to do with his by now somewhat unsteady steps. There was hardly anybody around. It occurred to him that he really had been in the pub for a long time.

Finally he reached his street. There, parked alongside the pavement, was his car. For a moment he wondered if he should go into the house and change into something smarter – Kitty might appreciate a gesture like that. Then he decided against it, as he was bound to bump into his mother and she’d only start interfering. Kitty knew him well enough to take him as he was. He didn’t need to impress her with fancy clothes or nonsense like that.