‘A terrible female apparition put her head out of the window. “Well, what is it?” “Is this The George and Dragon?” he asked. “Yes,” she said, “what is it?” “Well,” he said, “where’s George?”’

That laughter filled the space, loud enough to lift the roof off the little village hall. Maggie could see Ray breathing it in, like oxygen.

‘Our gardener, Mr Tonks – there he is, folks, at the back, in the cheap seats, give him a wave – is being ever so creative this year with his herbs. Oh yes, he is. He’s put them all in alphabetical order. I said to him, ‘That’s awfully clever, Sir. How do you ever find the time?’ And he answered – come on, what did he answer?’

Everyone yelled, ‘It’s next to the sage!’

Maggie glanced out a little further. She could see all her colleagues from the bank. And there was Ted from the pub, with the eye patch, sitting on the second row and Cook nearby. People were catching each other’s eye and nudging each other and laughing. All their troubles, at least for now, forgotten.

‘… The clerk is sympathetic and decides to allow the man to change his unfortunate name. “What do you want to change it to?” asks the clerk. The man replies, “Maurice Stinkfoot!”’

How could she ever have thought Ray wasn’t the man for her? That he wasn’t someone she could look up to, in a uniform or not?

‘I’m in the Home Guard!’ Ray was saying. ‘And believe me, that’s no joke!’

Everyone roared.

He’d been on the stage for half an hour – how did he remember so many jokes? – and Maggie was still standing at the edge of the wings, next to the curtain, watching him, when Ray stopped his banter and glanced back at her.

He held his hand up for silence. ‘Just a moment, ladies and gentlemen! There’s something I need to do.’

He ran from the front of the stage and faced her. ‘I got your letter,’ he murmured. ‘That was, Maggie Corbett, a very nice letter, indeed. Just what a man needs when he’s laid up. Got me back on my feet, that letter did. In fact …’ He reached inside his jacket pocket. ‘I might just read it out—’

‘NO!’ she shrieked, grabbing his arm. The audience started to laugh, even though they mustn’t have had a clue what was happening.

Ray laughed and kissed the top of her head. ‘Don’t be daft. As if I would. It’s not in my pocket, in any case. It’s not here at all, but …’ He stopped grinning and gazed into her eyes, suddenly serious. ‘I know that letter off by heart. Every bloomin’ word.’ He thumped his chest. ‘It’s in here.’

And then, in the next breath, he put his mouth to her ear. ‘Marry me?’