He put his arm round her shoulders and nuzzled her neck. ‘Let’s go back home to bed. Seeing Stan and Danuta like that has given me ideas.’

Rita giggled and dug him in the ribs with her elbow. ‘You don’t need them to give you ideas, you naughty man,’ she teased. She pulled on her crash helmet and fastened the ancient flying jacket up to her neck. ‘So what are you waiting for?’

They ran out into the rain and clambered onto the motorbike. With Rita’s arms around his waist and her body resting tightly against his back, Pete kick-started the engine and sped for home.

14

‘Do stand still, Charlie, for goodness’ sake,’ hissed Peggy, tugging at his sleeve. ‘How can I be expected to see if this blazer fits properly if you keep fidgeting?’

‘I’m fed up, Mum. It fits all right. I don’t know why you’re fussing.’

‘It fits now, but it won’t in a year’s time,’ she retorted. ‘Not with the way you’re growing.’ She pulled the blazer off and hurried out of the changing room in search of one that was a bigger size.

The new grammar school term would start tomorrow, and this was the first time she’d managed to pin Charlie down long enough to get him kitted out in his uniform. The price of it all was quite shocking, and because he was so big, she had to find suitable shirts, trousers and shoes in the men’s department, which meant using up the precious clothing coupons Sarah and Jane had so generously donated for the cause.

She hurried back to the changing room, aware that her lunch hour was rapidly dwindling. ‘Let’s see if this one has some room to grow in it,’ she ordered her grumpy son.

Charlie dragged the blazer on and stood in stoic silence as she buttoned it up and checked the length of the sleeves.

‘That will have to do,’ she said on a sigh. ‘It’s the biggest they’ve got. Is there anything else you’ll need?’

‘Football kit,’ he said gloomily. ‘And my rugby boots are pinching my toes.’

Peggy closed her eyes momentarily and took a breath. She’d known this expedition would be costly, but hadn’t realised how quickly it would all mount up. ‘Do you really need football kit? Won’t they let you off as you’re in the local rugby team?’ she asked hopefully.

He eyed her patiently. ‘The school plays football, and I don’t want to be seen as different to the others. I might not like the game, but I can play it well enough to get by.’

Understanding how important it was for him to mix in with the others, Peggy took him down to the sportswear department. With everything wrapped up and the bill paid, she loaded it all into Charlie’s arms. ‘You’ll have to carry that home. I’ve got to go back to work,’ she said briskly. ‘And don’t just dump it on the floor, hang it up properly.’

Charlie rolled his eyes and gave a deep sigh before striding out of Plummers and down the High Street.