‘That’s all right.’ Ivy was hanging on to Marcus’s hand as if she would never let it go. ‘I reckon we’ll make it an early summer wedding. Oh, did I mention that I’d like to be married at Chilvers Coton Church? I’ll go and see the Reverend Lockett and set a date as soon as I get home. That will give us a bit of time to get some meat back on your bones,’ she told Marcus with a twinkle in her eye. ‘I don’t want to be marryin’ someone’s who’s lighter than me. There ain’t an ounce of fat on yer at the minute but we’ll soon remedy that.’

‘You make me sound like a pig that needs fattening up,’ Marcus laughed.

She smiled lovingly at him. ‘Not a pig, but my own dear man. I think I’ll have white roses in my bouquet,’ she continued with her plans thoughtfully, her head already organising everything. ‘Oh, an’ of course I’ll want a satin dress wi’ a train an’ a veil. An’ I’ll have Holly as me matron of honour, she’ll like that.’

The next couple of hours passed in the same light-hearted manner and by the time Walter and Ivy left to go to the hotel he had booked them into for the night they were all relaxed and happy.

‘Just to think a short time ago I thought I’d never see him again,’ Ivy said dreamily. ‘An’ they say miracles can’t happen! Well, one has for me.’

Walter smiled at her indulgently. He had a feeling that his beloved only son and this lovely down-to-earth girl were going to be very happy indeed.

Chapter Fifty-One

Marcus was discharged from the hospital early in May and his homecoming was a joyous one, although he still jumped at any loud noise. The matron at the hospital had assured Walter that this was to be expected after the trauma he had suffered but hoped in time that he would make a full recovery. He was also still very self-conscious of his empty eye socket and had taken to wearing a black eyepatch but Ivy assured him that she quite liked it.

‘It makes yer look like a pirate,’ she teased him and from then on his sisters nicknamed him Long John Marcus.

Holly was also much improved health-wise, although she was still suffering from dreadful nightmares and her heart still ached like a physical pain every time she thought of Richard. Luckily, having the wedding to organise had helped tremendously, although as yet she’d made no plans to go back to work.

‘I might consider going to work at one of the military hospitals on the coast after the wedding,’ she told her mother when she asked what her plans were, and Emma was relieved. She didn’t think her nerves could bear up under the strain had Holly decided to go back to France. At least this way she would only be a train ride away.

Sadly the war was still raging on and in April the Germans had unleashed a terrible new weapon: poisonous gas, which caused blindness and internal blisters that could result in death. It had been a terrible blow to the British soldiers but they were still battling on with no end in sight.