Bob and Ron pushed back the table and chairs and Frank started the gramophone so everyone could dance. Ron grabbed Rosie and swung her onto the floor, as Bertie led Cordelia in a stately foxtrot. Charlie jigged about with Daisy in his arms as Bob took Danuta onto the floor for a jive. Brendon danced with Betty, their son between them, while Frank and Jack kept Stanislaw company over the remaining cheese, crackers and port.

Peggy’s heart was full as she gazed with love and pride at the sons she and Jim had made together. Seeing them enjoying the first Beach View Christmas for years was something she’d dreamed about, and although Jim couldn’t be here, it was as if he was present in those two boys who looked so very like him.

25

The festive season had been exhausting, but great fun as Beach View rang with the sound of children, music and the happy voices of friends and family each day. Peggy had been in her element, delighting in being mother and grandmother again, and catching up with everyone’s news. It had been a real treat to see how motherhood had made Suzy blossom, and her new baby girl was utterly adorable and looked just like her.

The day after Boxing Day there had been an excited telephone call from Robert to say that Fran had just delivered a son, Peter, and mother and baby were doing very well. And then on New Year’s Eve, Gloria had rung from the Crown, almost incoherent with joy as Ivy and Andy were now the proud parents of Eve, who’d come early that morning. Peggy felt as if she’d become a grandmother all over again now two of her precious chicks had little ones of their own.

The celebrations were now over and January was its usual anti-climax, for the new year of 1946 had dawned with the same dreary wet weather as the old one, with nothing much to look forward to since February and March would no doubt be just as depressing. The household bills had come in, work had begun again, the schools were back, and all in all, Peggy was feeling rather deflated.

She watched the rain come down from her kitchen window that mid-January Sunday lunchtime and wondered if it would ever stop, but at least now she had her twin-tub washing machine, she could guarantee her washing would be dry and ready for ironing every Saturday.

She turned from the window and finished her solitary lunch, thinking sadly how much she missed Bob now that he’d returned to Somerset. Daisy and Charlie missed him too, for he was a very dear, thoughtful, caring young man, and they’d all loved having him here. He would come back one day – probably to welcome his father home and stay a while – but she knew his heart was really with the farm, and that was where he would make his life.

Peggy washed up her soup bowl and mug with the wireless on for company. It was peaceful in the house, for Anne had taken Daisy off for the day to play with Rose and Emily at the cottage; Charlie was upstairs doing his homework now the new term had started; Cordelia was out to have lunch with Bertie, and Danuta was with Stanislaw. Danuta’s workload had been eased considerably now a third district nurse had been taken on, and she’d been looking much brighter and less tired lately.