A party? So, there was someone else here. She knew it! Please, don’t let it be another woman. It was probably Sarah, the one who’d arrived to help look after Rudi. It was bound to be her. She was pretty and jolly and probably exactly Jack’s type. Oh, this was awful. She wished they’d never come.

Jack stood back from the door and ushered them in. He seemed somehow flustered and not quite himself.

They walked through into the drawing room, as Charity exclaimed how charming the place was. Maggie was grateful to her for talking and filling the uneasy silence – and yes, it was true, Jack did have another guest.

It was Geoff.

Oh, the relief. Just Geoff, standing near the fireplace. Nothing to worry about. Maggie looked around the room, wondering if perhaps the other chaps were here too but there was no sign of anyone else.

Jack and Geoff had been drinking, that was clear. The decanter on the sideboard, its crystal stopper laid carelessly on the side, was half-empty and there were two glasses next to it, half-filled with red wine.

It all made sense now. Jack had been drinking, that’s why he looked rather bashful. He was tipsy! And he’d completely forgotten about his invitation to her last week. Oh well, never mind, easily done.

‘So, your wrist is mended?’ Maggie asked.

Jack smiled and cautiously waved his right arm, as though trying it out. ‘Yes, isn’t it marvellous? I’ve been signed off, so I’m off to my squadron in the early hours. Goodness knows when I’ll be back. But whenever I get leave, even if it’s only a day or two, I’ll try to come back.’

Maggie felt so disappointed. If she and Charity hadn’t appeared like this tonight, would he just have left, without seeing her again? And without saying goodbye?

‘Geoff and I have been putting the world to rights, isn’t that right, old chum?’ Jack said, picking up his glass of wine.

Geoff smiled. ‘Hello,’ he said to Maggie and, ‘Nice to see you, Miss Richmond.’ The words were a little hesitant but it was strange, there was no sign of his usual stammer.

‘Now,’ Jack asked, ‘what can I get you girls to drink?’

* * *

As they left the gatehouse a couple of hours later and stepped out into the dark, Jack gently closed the door behind them. Charity seemed unusually quiet.

‘What did you think?’ Maggie asked, as soon as she was sure he’d gone.

‘He seems nice.’

‘Nice?’ Was that all?

Charity seemed to be choosing her words carefully. ‘I’m not sure whether—’

Maggie turned towards her. ‘Oh, I know exactly what you’re thinking! He’s a toff and I’m ordinary and how can that work out?’

Charity put her hand up. ‘No, it’s not that at all!’