A glance at her watch told her she was wasting time, so she quickly closed the front door behind her and rushed next door. ‘It’s only me,’ she called from the hall. ‘I hope you’re decent.’

‘I’m in the kitchen and very respectable, thank you.’

‘You shouldn’t be in here, let alone doing the washing-up. You know what the doctor said,’ she fussed.

He carefully turned from the sink and dried his hands on a towel, his smile making his blue eyes sparkle. ‘I’m fine, really, my dear. Please don’t worry about me.’

‘Oh, but I do,’ she breathed, stroking back his thick silver hair from his temple. ‘You’ve been in such pain and the doctor was most insistent that you lie flat on the floor – not be dashing about doing things.’

He kissed her softly on the brow and then grinned. ‘I’m hardly dashing anywhere, dear heart, but I can’t bear lying about doing nothing, and I really think that moving around is better for my back. It already feels so much easier.’

‘That’s probably due to those strong pills the doctor gave you,’ she said worriedly. ‘Leave all that and I’ll make you a nice cup of tea before I go to work. If you’re feeling well enough, then why not sit in the garden? It’s a lovely day.’

‘I’m afraid you’re doing too much,’ he said with a frown.

‘Silly man,’ she replied lightly. ‘I’ve got enough energy for both of us at the moment, and besides, I enjoy looking after you.’

He smiled down at her and then slowly made his way out of the back door and into the neat vegetable garden where he sat rather gingerly on the bench.

Doris saw him wince and quickly took him out a cushion before returning minutes later with the tray of tea things. ‘I’ll pop in at lunchtime to make you a sandwich,’ she promised with a loving smile. ‘So you can stay here and enjoy planning what you’re going to plant for the winter. Peggy telephoned to ask how you were doing. She missed us at Rita’s wedding, and hopes you’ll soon be better.’

‘Of course I will,’ he said stoutly. ‘Nothing’s going to make me miss our wedding.’ He took her hand and raised it to his lips. ‘I love you, Doris. See you at lunchtime.’

‘I might be a little late back, so don’t worry. It’s just that I have things to do in town which really can’t be put off any longer.’ She kissed him softly on the lips and left the bungalow to walk to the factory estate.

It was a beautiful summer’s day, the birds were singing, the sky was blue and her heart was light with love and happiness. She had so much to look forward to, and still couldn’t quite believe how fortunate she was after the disastrous events that had led her to Ladysmith Close and her office work on the factory estate. She might have lost her home in a V-1 attack, and suffered the heartache of losing her estranged husband only to discover he’d left her almost penniless, but she’d found a home here, had reconciled with her sister, Peggy, and met the love of her life in Colonel John White.