‘It’s been hard for you,’ said Ron into the silence. ‘I can understand how confusing and hurtful it must have been as a small boy to be sent away, but there is another side to it, Charlie.’

He paused to relight his pipe. ‘Your mother wouldn’t thank me for telling you,’ he went on. ‘But she keeps her grief to herself. This war might have been difficult for you, but for her it was a terrible trial. Not only did it take her sons, daughter and grandchildren away, it took your father to the other side of the world, leaving her to battle on during the numerous air raids, the ever-increasing terror of the V-1s and V-2s and the news that your father had been wounded. And yet through it all she’s remained steadfast in her faith that you’d all come home one day, and be a family again.’

‘I do love her, really,’ mumbled Charlie. ‘Of course I do – deep down. But she’s different to what I remember, and I don’t know how to be with her. She’s all hustle and bustle and sharp angles and isn’t at all the same as Auntie Vi. I feel shy around her, especially when she tries to hug and kiss me – and I can’t talk to her about Somerset and Auntie Vi because I can see how upset she gets, and it makes me feel guilty for loving Vi so much. So I keep my thoughts and feelings to myself. But there are times when I think I could burst with it all.’

Ron clamped a heavy hand on Charlie’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. ‘I’m guessing that today is one of those times, wee lad,’ he murmured. ‘But you don’t have to bear this on your own, Charlie. Why don’t you talk to me, so I can understand and maybe do something about it?’

Charlie heaved a ragged sigh and blinked rapidly against the gathering tears. ‘I don’t know that there’s anything you can do,’ he said helplessly. ‘I’m stuck here now, and will just have to make the best of things.’

‘Aye. But you’re intelligent enough to know that whisky and cigarettes aren’t the answer, son,’ said Ron with a smile in his voice.

There was a long silence between them, and Charlie realised in horror that fat tears were rolling down his face as the great dam he’d built to hold back his emotions began to crumble.

Then he felt Ron’s strong arms about him, holding him tightly against his broad chest. The dam burst and all the anguish and anxiety flooded out, enabling him to finally speak from the heart and ultimately begin to heal.

They’d just finished their lunch of home-made vegetable soup and toast, and Cordelia had returned to the garden with Daisy so Peggy could read Ruby’s letter.

It was as she’d thought, for Ruby was clearly finding it very hard to settle in Canada. Peggy was initially delighted to read that there was a baby on the way, but Ruby was feeling sorry for herself in the misery of morning sickness. The logging season would soon begin and she was dreading the long weeks when Mike would be away from home and the small, isolated settlement was cut off from the world by snow so deep it would be impossible for the men to come home even for a short while.