London, November 1927

It was a wonder how it had all come to this, fighting the clock to find a warm place to sleep for the night.

When your father had come home to you and your new baby he saw red, a mother out of wedlock, you'd have thought you'd spat on his own parents grave and cursed the family in one fell swoop!

With your sisters pleas falling on deaf ears he'd cast you out into the biting cold night, the empty streets of London your new dwelling.

You'd sacrificed your shawl to wrap around your baby as well as the swaddling cloth, at least one of you should be warm tonight, you knew you could survive a few more hours, but your baby might not.

After trying the mother and baby home, next was the poorhouse but you didn't reach it, due to a tall dark stranger standing under lamplight in the street.

You passed him without a second thought, almost envious of the heat he might be getting from the burning oil in the street lamp.

The poorhouse turned you away and that was your final straw, clutching your baby to your chest you tried not to cry, tried desperately to keep any vestiges of warmth in your body solely for your baby.

That was when the man made his second appearance.

"Forgive me for pryin' my dear," he started, "but would you tell me why you're out in the cold in no more than your day dress?"

You explained what had happened and began to cry, prompting the large man to give you his handkerchief.

"There, there darling, it's alright,I promise all will be well, eh?" he tried to reassure you, taking off his long white scarf to wrap around your shoulders and your baby.

"If you feel like opening your trusting heart to a man like myself I can help you, what do you say?"

Without having anything else to lose, you had no better choice.

The man, who introduced himself to you as Alfie, linked your arm through his, his cane tack, tack, tacking on the snow dusted pavements.

Alfie delivered you to a synagogue, warm light from within already making you rejoice.

"The rabbi owes me a favour darlin', don't you worry," he winked at you and knocked firmly on the large double doors.

Alfie saw you safe inside under the rabbi's watchful eye.

After he'd settled matters with the rabbi, he turned to you once more.

"Might I hold the little one? Does a man wonders, holding what he once was, wouldn't you say?"

Alfie held your baby so carefully, cooing softly and smiling down at the somehow still sleeping child.

"Beautiful, just beautiful," he murmured, eyes wide in wonder and thought.

"Your mummy is very brave, isn't she?" Alfie whispered to the baby while the rabbi spoke to you.

"You're lucky she walked past me when she did, treacle.. lucky, yeah."

After Alfie left, the rabbi helped you settle into a modest room, simple furnishings, only the necessities, a donated cradle added for your baby and some donated warm clothes for the morning.

In bed that night, you lay awake thinking of the man that had saved you.