‘And why shouldn’t women do men’s jobs?’ Ivy asked heatedly. She had just carried a tray of coffee and biscuits in and was instantly on the defensive. ‘The trouble is most men think all women are fit for is standing at the kitchen sink and bringing up babies.’

‘Not all men think like that,’ Holly said soothingly, seeing that Ivy was getting riled.

‘No, but most of them do,’ Ivy snorted indignantly. ‘That’s why the suffragettes are havin’ to fight to get us equal rights.’

Holly flashed her a warning look and Ivy had the grace to flush. ‘That’s my opinion anyway,’ she mumbled and shot out of the room.

Luckily, Walter seemed quite amused by her little outburst. ‘I do understand what she means,’ he said. ‘When I first bought the hat factory there were both women and men there doing exactly the same job and yet the women’s wages were far lower than the men’s. I didn’t think it was fair so they’re paid the same now.’

Emma looked at Walter adoringly. Married life to a good man was suiting her and she had never been happier, apart from worrying about the war that was. Only the night before she had asked him if he would have to go and fight and he’d tried to allay her fears.

‘At the moment they want the younger men,’ he’d told her gently. ‘But of course if it went on for any length of time there is a possibility that they would want men my age.’

‘I wouldn’t let you go and risk getting killed,’ she’d informed him with tears in her eyes but deep down she knew that if it came to that she wouldn’t be able to stop him. Walter was a very honourable man and he certainly wouldn’t want to be branded a coward or be presented with a white feather.

Thankfully Ivy came back in carrying Alice at that moment and everyone’s attention was immediately diverted to the little girl. She was now a happy little toddler into all sorts of mischief and Ivy often said that she needed eyes in the back of her head.

Emma produced a chocolate bar from her bag – she never came without one – and within minutes they were all laughing at Alice who fell on it as if it was the first treat she had ever had and the sombre mood lifted.

Throughout the month training camps appeared as if by magic all over the country. The first lot of new recruits left the train station to the sound of a brass band and so many people waving them off that families were standing shoulder to shoulder on the little platform. There were mothers and fathers, sisters, brothers, wives and sweethearts all waving wildly and praying silently that this would not be the last time they saw their loved ones. Once the train had disappeared from view, the mood became sombre and the crowd drifted away with heavy hearts.