‘Not if, Peggy, but when,’ she chided softly. ‘We shall have to sell it. Ron prefers to be out and about rather than standing behind a bar, and since his accident, his back really isn’t up to lifting barrels and being on his feet all evening. Though he wouldn’t thank me for telling you,’ she added with a wink.

‘I suppose the brewery would take it on like a shot. The Anchor’s become a real little gold mine since you took it over.’

‘That would be my last option, Peggy. I’d really prefer to keep it freehold so that whoever buys it can do what they want with it. Once a brewery takes over they make demands for changes and start charging high rent, and you’re tied to buying all your beer from them.’

She gave a little sigh and caught Monty’s collar to stop him jumping up at Daisy. ‘I was hoping a young family might take it on, or a returning serviceman, but there’s simply no money about, Peggy. So it looks as if we’ll be here for a long while yet.’

‘Well, I for one am glad. I really don’t like the thought of you and Ron moving away from Cliffehaven.’

Rosie giggled. ‘There’s no chance of that. If we do sell, we’ll find somewhere here to move into.’ She gave Peggy a hug. ‘You don’t get rid of us that easily.’

Peggy hugged her back, then rounded up Daisy and headed for home, thinking how lucky she was to have such a good friend in Rosie.

Daisy was tired after her long walk, and once she’d had her bath and some cocoa, she was soon asleep.

Peggy stood and watched her for a while and then quietly opened the bottom drawer of her tallboy and drew out the baby clothes she’d kept wrapped in tissue paper. Most of Daisy’s layette had been donated to charity, but she’d held back these few pieces because Daisy was the last baby she’d ever have. It had been through nostalgia and a sense of time slipping away that she’d needed to keep these mementos, but it felt criminal to hang on to them when they could be put to good use elsewhere.

She carried the matinee jackets, bootees and knitted bonnets into the kitchen and carefully put them on the table while she made a pot of tea, and hunted out a writing pad and pen from the dresser drawer. Once she’d taken a restorative sip of the rather weak tea, she parcelled up the baby clothes, thinking about how to answer Ruby’s sad letter.

Peggy decided to keep it light-hearted and full of gossip, so she started by congratulating her on her terrific news and telling her there would be a parcel in the post for her very soon. She sympathised over the morning sickness but consoled her by saying it wouldn’t last for long, and she’d soon be feeling fine. Then she told her about Charlie’s first week at the grammar school, and his rugby match.