Isobel sat up straight. ‘I know that, but he won’t be told. Last year he went to see a Pathé newsreel at the cinema and it was all about the Armistice parades around the country. He watched the ceremony at the Cenotaph in London, and he said the King put his wreath down, then turned his back on it and walked down the steps. And then he saw more news reels about other cities and he says everyone does it. All these important people lay their wreaths and then they turn around and walk away, back to where they came from. He says that’s what the world has done to all the men who were injured. They have just walked away and left them to sort themselves out. And he says it’s not enough.’

Ann nodded slowly. ‘I can see why he doesn’t want to be there.’

‘He is so angry about it. And guilt and anger at the same time is not a good combination.’ Isobel stood up again and picked up another damp shirt from the ironing basket. ‘So, if it’s alright with you and Keith, I think we’ll just stay here. We might go for a walk instead.’ She shook out the shirt. ‘He said last night that he wants to talk to me about something important, so we’ll enjoy just being the two of us for a few hours and we won’t go anywhere near any ceremonies.’

Chapter 49

November 1931

Three weeks after her first visit, Beatrice Sidcup stood on the doorstep of 25 Library Terrace again, but on this occasion, she was not alone.

It was Isobel who answered the door and took their coats. ‘You must be Olivia,’ she said to the young woman. ‘I am Isobel. Welcome to number 25.’ Seeing Olivia at close quarters, she wondered how Ann was going to react.

In the intervening weeks there had been many discussions at number 25. Every breakfast and dinnertime had been dominated by the decision about what to do. Furniture had been moved around in the upstairs bedrooms, and the house had been thoroughly cleaned under Isobel’s exacting guidance. The drawing-room window had been repaired but the chimney had not yet been swept and the room was still too cold to be welcoming, and anyway, Ann had reasoned to the others, ‘We are not accustomed to entertaining in there and I refuse to pretend to be something I’m not.’

Isobel had made a lemon cake. The men were out at work but would be back in time to meet the visitors. The occasion had been carefully planned.