Ethel sat at the table. Da said to her: “How are things at the big house?”

“Nice and quiet,” she said. “The earl and princess are in London for the coronation.” She looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. “They’ll be getting up soon-they need to be at the abbey early. She won’t like it-she’s not used to early hours-but she can’t be late for the king.” The earl’s wife, Bea, was a Russian princess, and very grand.

Da said: “They’ll want to get seats near the front, so they can see the show.”

“Oh, no, you can’t sit anywhere you like,” Ethel said. “They’ve had six thousand mahogany chairs made special, with the names of the guests on the back in gold writing.”

Gramper said: “Well, there’s a waste! What will they do with them after?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps everyone will take them home as souvenirs.”

Da said dryly: “Tell them to send a spare one to us. There’s only five of us here, and already your mam’s got to stand.”

When Da was being facetious there might be real anger underneath. Ethel leaped to her feet. “Oh, sorry, Mam, I didn’t think.”

“Stay where you are, I’m too busy to sit down,” said Mam.

The clock struck five. Da said: “Best get there early, Billy boy. Start as you mean to go on.”

Billy got to his feet reluctantly and picked up his snap.

Ethel kissed him again, and Gramper shook his hand. Da gave him two six-inch nails, rusty and a bit bent. “Put those in your trousers pocket.”

“What for?” said Billy.

“You’ll see,” Da said with a smile.

Mam handed Billy a quart bottle with a screw top, full of cold tea with milk and sugar. She said: “Now, Billy, remember that Jesus is always with you, even down the pit.”