They all sat and drank tea and began on the sandwiches, sitting around the tables under the trees. Katie wondered where Em had got to, and hoped she was feeling all right. It would be hard work for them all getting over here. Every so often she went into the house and listened to see if anyone was knocking. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Molly Fox coming, yet at the same time she was curious.

It was Michael, who had been looking out for them, who at last yelled, ‘They’re here!’ He was excited about seeing Robbie.

Katie dashed through the house and opened the door to see Em, cradling a baby in a white blanket and beaming at her, with Norm behind her. Michael seized Robbie and they dashed off to the back.

‘Hello!’ Katie cried. ‘Oh, you’ve made it at last! Oh, Em – isn’t she just lovely?’ The baby’s waxy little face lay surrounded by soft folds of blanket, her pale-mauve eyelids gently twitching as she slept.

‘Meet little Christine,’ Em said proudly. ‘Christine Elizabeth, after the Queen.’

‘Oh, lovely, and she’s so perfect – how heavy was she?’

‘Just under seven pounds,’ Em said happily, ‘and she’s feeding ever so well.’

‘Oh, sorry – hello, Norm,’ Katie greeted him. ‘Mustn’t forget the proud dad!’

‘All right, are you?’ Norm said in his rather timid way. She could tell he was shy and hoped the chaotic atmosphere out in the garden might put him more at ease. ‘Nice to see you.’

‘Come on in . . . all of you.’ Katie had then become fully aware of the two people standing behind. One was a slightly built woman, with dark-brown hair cut shoulder-length and worn in a straight, plain style, and with slightly prominent teeth. Far more striking was the other, tall and magnificently built, with thick blonde hair piled on her head and wearing a peacock-blue dress that hugged her curves. Her build and way of standing seemed vaguely familiar, as did her face, but she could still hardly believe this was Molly.

‘You must be . . .’ She looked from one to the other of them.

‘You remember Molly!’ Em called from in the hall.

‘I do,’ Katie said, trying to get over the shock of how magnificent Molly looked. ‘But it’s been a long time. I’m Katie.’

‘I know – I can remember you. You were the one who’d never speak to me if you could possibly help it,’ Molly said. But there was happy mischief in her eyes and she gave a big, generous laugh.

‘I’m sure I was horrible,’ Katie admitted.

‘You were – not that I blame you, really. Anyway, it was all a long time ago, as you say. P’raps we can have another go at it now we’re grown-up!’

Katie smiled, liking Molly’s easy, confident manner. ‘Well, I hope so too – it’s nice to see you, Molly.’

‘This is my pal Ruth,’ Molly said, indicating the slender young woman beside her. ‘We were in the ATS together, and she’s put up with me ever since. Ruth’s one of these clever so-and-sos – she’s at Cambridge doing science.’