His eyes found her and for a second he stood still, staring. Then he broke away from the column of men and came towards her. She hurried to meet him, but an arm’s length apart they both came to a standstill, unable to find words.

‘I didn’t expect you to be so tall,’ she managed eventually.

She saw his Adam’s apple work as he swallowed. ‘I didn’t expect you to be so pretty.’

‘Oh, Gus!’ She stepped forward and put her arms round him and stretched up to kiss his cheek. He had to bend his head for her to reach, but he let her do it, something he would never have tolerated before he went away. ‘I’m so glad to see you! I’ve thought about you such a lot, and wondered where you were.’

‘Did you get my letter?’

‘Yes, I did – and thank you for writing. But that was such a long time ago. I didn’t know what had happened to you since.’

‘Hello, Gus. Remember me?’ Patty could not wait to be included in the conversation.

He looked past May and frowned.

‘May and me were friends, back at the workhouse. Remember?’

‘Oh, aye. How do?’ he said, though May could see that he did not remember.

Three of the young men from the shop had come down to the pier with them and they now crowded forward.

‘This your brother, then, May?’

‘Introduce us, won’t you?’

May turned to them. She wished they would all go away and leave her to talk to Gus, but good manners required otherwise. ‘Gus, this is Jimmy and this is Paul and the other one is Alfie. This is my brother, Gus.’

He regarded the men suspiciously. ‘Who are these then?’

‘They all work at the store.’

‘What store?’

‘Freeman’s. Oh, I’ll explain later. That’s where I work too.’

‘You’re not in service any more?’

‘No. Not for nearly a year.’ She looked around. ‘There’s so much to tell you and so much to ask, but we can’t do it standing here in the street. Where can we go?’

‘Pub?’ he suggested.

‘Oh, I don’t know. I don’t go into pubs often. A tea room?’

‘Tea room? What’s a tea room when it’s at home.’

‘Somewhere you can have a cup of tea and a cake.’ She looked him up and down. ‘No, perhaps not.’

‘Tell you what,’ Jimmy put in. ‘How about the Baltic Fleet? It’s only just across the street and they won’t mind a couple of ladies as long as you’re with us.’

‘Do you think so? All right, then.’ She looked at her brother. ‘All right with you, Gus?’