The verger’s tin helmet came off, and he came to attention, his shovel like a staff. “Her Majesty?” I placed my ARP helmet over my heart. “She said she couldn’t look Coventry in the face till she’d done something to help. ‘Their beautiful, beautiful cathedral,’ she said to us. ‘You must go up to Coventry straightaway and offer them whatever help you can.’ ” “She would,” the verger said, shaking his bald head reverently. “She would. ‘Their beautiful, beautiful cathedral.’ It sounds just like her.” I nodded solemnly at the verger, winked at Carruthers, and went back to my digging.

