Despite the best of intentions Tess overslept the next morning, which meant she was in a rush to get into the kitchen before Gran left for work. Gran had apologised the previous evening for not taking Tess’s first whole day home off, but Saturday was Deering’s busiest day and Gran did not want to let them down. So when Tess entered the kitchen she had already spooned porridge into two dishes and was about to sit down at the table. She looked up and smiled as Tess burst in, then gestured to her marketing bag which she had stood ready by the door.

‘I’m sorry to send you out with a list of messages a mile long on your first day home, love,’ she said apologetically. ‘I meant to do some shopping in my break, but we were so busy yesterday that I only got ten minutes off. Still, you can call for Lucy – or Snowy, for that matter – and I’ve put a bit extra in the housekeeping purse so you can treat yourself and your pal to a bun and lemonade once you’ve got everything on the list.’ Tess slid into her seat, saying, as she spooned golden syrup, that it would be a lovely change to go into proper shops again after three whole weeks of only visiting Mrs Bailey’s Post Office and Grocery.

Gran pulled her cup of tea towards her and took a sip. ‘Well, I’m glad you feel like that, because I’ve not got our rations this week which means you’ll have to visit Mrs Thomas,’ she said. ‘But you seem to be getting on better with Marilyn, from what you’ve told me, so there should be no difficulty there.’ She ducked her head, then looked at Tess from under her eyelashes. ‘I wonder if you might pop in and tell Albert – Mr Payne, you know – that you’re back. And – and ask him if he’d like to come over for supper this evening.’

Tess had been looking forward to renewing her friendship with various people in the shops Gran frequented and seeing friends from school who would also be doing their household messages, but now, strangely, she felt like a cat whose fur is stroked the wrong way, or like a child whose treat has been removed. It was odd, because she really did like Mr Payne; it was just that having him over for a meal on her first day home felt like an intrusion.

But Gran was looking at her, her eyebrows rising, and Tess broke into hasty speech. ‘What time shall I say?’

Gran, looking relieved, gave Tess a beaming smile. ‘Well, he closes his shop about six, so if he could be here for half past we can eat then, and you can tell him all about the Bells and the farm.’

‘Haven’t you done that already?’ Tess said, and could have kicked herself. Her tone had been too sharp.

But if Gran had noticed, she did not let it show. ‘No, queen, I’ve not said anything. Did you want me to? Albert and I don’t discuss other people’s business, and anyway you will tell it all much better than I should.’ She pushed her porridge plate away from her and got to her feet. ‘I hate to impose on you the moment you get home, love, but can you do the washing up and tidy stuff away? You can make yourself a meat paste sandwich at midday, but don’t worry about supper. I’ve the makings of a salad, some Spam and a couple of pounds of new potatoes, so if you wouldn’t mind scrubbing them I’ll put them on the stove at about quarter past six.’