Charity gave a small nod and smiled. ‘Do excuse me, won’t you? If I don’t catch her now, I’ll miss my chance. It was very nice to meet you all.’

And then she was gone and Maggie felt flat. She didn’t care to know too much about the airman. He’d been a lovely distraction but whoever he was, he didn’t belong to the bank or the house staff. He’d soon be heading back to his squadron, for certain; they weren’t likely to see him again.

She’d much rather that Charity had stayed.

Charity skipped across the terrace and greeted Lady Ashford with a cry of delight and a kiss on each cheek. Maggie crossed her left arm over her chest and touched the tassels of Charity’s lace shawl. She’d met someone nice, a possible pal. But if Charity mixed in those kind of social circles – with the actual Lady Ashford – she’d hardly want to be friends with her.

A little while later, a bell rang to call for order. The gramophone was switched off and the volume of chatter gradually decreased until, eventually, there was silence.

Lord Ashford had stepped up onto the low wall that skirted the terrace and now he reached down and took Lady Ashford’s hand, so she could join him.

She wobbled slightly and laughed as she found her balance and he asked her softly, ‘All right, my darling?’

It almost made Maggie ache to look at them. They were like film stars standing on a stage. She – and everyone else – were the audience.

As Lady Ashford raised her hand to tuck a loose strand of dark hair into her turban, the bangles on her wrist clinked gently together and glinted in the evening sun.

Lord Ashford cleared his throat and his steely gaze swept over them all. Maggie felt her shoulders drop. She’d been like a coiled spring for most of the evening but his Lordship made her feel calm. Even if the Luftwaffe suddenly flew over that ridge straight towards them, she didn’t think she’d be scared. Not with him here, in charge.

‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,’ he said, in his clear, deep voice. ‘I’ll keep this short and sweet as I expect you’re tired after the journey up from London and of course—’ he pretended to glare ‘—work starts with a vengeance in the morning!’

There were a few groans, followed by laughter.