‘Sorry about that, Danuta. But you looked as if you needed rescuing. Old Stan’s inclined to get too serious about things, and this is supposed to be a happy day.’

Danuta looked beyond him to Stanislaw who was now sitting alone at the table and making his way purposefully through a second bottle of wine as he watched her dance. He looked so sad, and despite all her previous misgivings, she realised he was as lonely as she in this exile, and her heart went out to him.

Peter thanked her for the dance and Danuta returned to the table and would have remained there if Stanislaw hadn’t insisted upon her joining in the dancing. ‘I like to watch you enjoying yourself,’ he said. ‘It’s good to see you smile. You are too serious, I think, for one so young.’

She laughed at that, for she was well into her twenties, but accepted the offer to dance from Brendon, and then returned to Stanislaw’s side to catch her breath and have another drink. She wasn’t really in the habit of drinking much, and it was beginning to go to her head by the time Rita and Peter were ready to leave for their London honeymoon.

Everyone trooped outside to where a taxi – suitably adorned with strings of tin cans and ribbons – was waiting to take them to the station. Rita had changed into a cream linen dress and jacket and a neat little hat. She hugged and kissed them all, and when it was Danuta’s turn she held her for a moment longer.

‘Have fun with Stan, Danuta,’ she whispered. ‘He’s such a lovely man under all that bluff and moustache twirling.’

Danuta reddened. ‘I keep him company, is all,’ she stuttered.

Rita laughed. ‘If you say so.’

And then the taxi was pulling away, the tin cans rattling as a shower of confetti rained down on it and everyone shouted their cheerful goodbyes.

Peggy and Cordelia were happily mopping their tears as they turned to go back into the reception room, and Peggy caught Danuta’s hand on the way past. ‘Such a happy day,’ she breathed. ‘I so love weddings, don’t you?’

‘Of course,’ Danuta replied, smiling back with great affection.

‘It’ll be your wedding one day, Danuta, and I promise it will be just as wonderful.’

Danuta nodded and let her carry on into the clubhouse with Cordelia, while she stayed outside to let the fresh air clear her head. Peggy was a romantic, and weddings always made her over-emotional, and although Danuta knew she meant well and yearned to give her a beautiful wedding day, it was unlikely she would ever marry. Her body was scarred and ugly, and not something she’d ever wish to reveal – and what was the point of getting married when she couldn’t have children?

Danuta made her way up the steps and found Stanislaw waiting for her with a fresh bottle of wine. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, ‘but I’ve had more than enough to drink. I’m on duty early tomorrow morning, so I think I will go home now.’