‘Come away from there, love,’ Dolly said from the doorway. ‘You’ll get yourself in a proper tizzy and then the twins will feel it and start crying. We don’t need that, do we?’ She tried to keep her voice light and positive, but even she was reaching the end of her reserves of cheerfulness. The twins were in fact safely asleep, but mentioning their need was the only distraction she could think of that would outweigh Violet’s affection for Georgie. She dreaded to think what would happen if the worst had befallen him. He’d won the hearts of so many in his short life.

‘When’s Pop due back?’ Violet asked dully.

‘Any time now. The salvage boss won’t make him stay late tonight, not when he’s told them what’s going on,’ Dolly predicted.

‘Then I might stay here till he comes up the street,’ Violet said, turning back to the window.

Dolly came to stand behind her, putting her hand on her daughter-in-law’s bony shoulder. ‘I’ll wait with you,’ she said, not wanting the young woman to be alone, and feeling in need of company herself. Sarah was still asleep upstairs in her old room, time working its healing magic, and so it was just the two of them, standing and watching anxiously, staring into the middle distance as dusk fell over the few houses of Empire Street.

They were still there when the police car drew up, its shielded headlights bright in the gathering gloom. Dolly snapped to attention, jolting Violet out of her daydream, neither of them sure what this could mean. Dolly’s heart was in her mouth, wondering if they’d come in person to bring bad news.

Then the rear door opened and Nancy stepped out, followed by Tommy from around the other side, and then the small figure of Georgie, wearing an enormous pullover with the sleeves rolled up, over and over into thick cuffs. Dolly gave a little gasp and Violet jumped, then ran to the front door and threw it open. She knelt down to Georgie’s level and he ran forward to hug her.

‘I’m wearing Tommy’s jumper!’ he told her.

‘So I can see,’ said Violet, trying her best to sound normal but not quite managing it. ‘Do you want some milk?’

Dolly wiped a surreptitious tear from her eye as Violet led the little boy, apparently none the worse for wear, into the kitchen, then turned to Nancy. ‘So, where have you been? Did you find Alfie? What’s been going on?’

‘It’s a long story,’ Nancy started to say.