Orphans of War. Leah Fleming

come home because they got sunk in a ship. My parents are drowned.’ Maddy felt the tears welling up but she stayed very calm as the knitting dropped from Gran’s hand.

      ‘Is this true, Prunella? Arthur’s dead…another of my sons is dead?’

      ‘And my mummy too. I know you didn’t like them but they were my mummy and daddy and I’ll never see them again.’ That’s when her tears just burst out and she couldn’t stop them.

      ‘Oh dear God! The ship went down? Where?’

      ‘The week before Christmas, Mother. We received a call at the hostel. I said nothing until after Christmas to spare you both, but Gloria Conley blurted out something to Maddy. I had to deal with it but I did mean to tell you first.’ Aunt Plum had gone very pink.

      Grandma sat very upright, staring into the embers of the log fire, shaking her head.

      ‘Arthur…he always was musical. Heaven knows where he got it from…not me. He was always Harry’s favourite…mentioned in dispatches in the Great War. Now Arthur’s gone. I don’t understand.’ She talked as if she was very far away from them. ‘We never got to say our piece,’ she whispered to herself. She suddenly looked very old.

      ‘It’s all right. Daddy wouldn’t mind,’ Maddy interrupted her reverie, hoping to give her grandmother some comfort, but it only made things worse.

      ‘But I mind! Things were said that can’t be put right now. I was hoping to sort out my papers with him.’ She paused and stared at Maddy as if looking at her for the first time. ‘I’m so sorry, Madeleine, sorry for your loss and your disappointment. You must be feeling very shocked. Come and sit by me.’