She glanced down at the letter again. The sender’s address was in Northumberland. She pushed the letter into her pocket. She’d mail it to this Juliette Byron, whoever she was. Maybe she’d want it back. Especially if Flying Officer Byron hadn’t made it home.

She wandered out of the room and looked out of the window at the greying skies. The view from the Manor had always entranced her. From one side of the house were wide sweeping fields that in the summer glowed yellow with corn. From the front of the house the view was of Rainham marshes, and from the top window you could see right up Upminster Road North to the church with its clocktower.

She heard a noise and turned from the window. Standing at the top of the stairs was a man. In the dimness brought on by the overcast skies she couldn’t make out his face. As he walked towards her she put her hand to her chest in momentary fright.

‘My God! It’s you.’ Her voice was a whisper.

‘Surprised to see me?’ His voice was the same as always and Briony was transported back over the years to her first sight of a young boy in a new suit that looked too big, with a voice that had just broken properly.

‘Tommy. Tommy Lane. You’re the last person I expected to see.’

He smiled then, that easy smile that she remembered so well. Even though they had spoken by phone over the years, they had met only twice, by accident. Then they had been chillingly polite to one another. Now he was here, in the Manor, and she knew it was for a good reason.

‘They don’t call me Bad Penny Lane for nothing, you know!’

Briony smiled. ‘Come down to the kitchen and I’ll make us some coffee.’

They walked down the stairs in silence, both aware of the attraction still between them. The gathering storm overhead served to make the atmosphere even more charged.

Briony put the kettle on the range and turned to face him. ‘Black coffee, I’m afraid, there’s no milk.’

Tommy sat down at the scrubbed table and looked at her as if drinking her in. Despite herself, Briony blushed at his scrutiny and Tommy laughed out loud.

‘Now I’ve seen everything. Briony Cavanagh blushing? That’s a turn up for the book, I must say!’

She grinned.

‘It’s the shock of seeing you, I think, Tommy, after all this time. I take it this is a friendly visit?’

His face sobered at her words. Standing up, he went to her and put his hands on her shoulders. Looking down into the deep, green depths of her eyes, he said, ‘As friendly as you want it, Briony.’