Peggy nodded, put the egg in the egg cup and placed it in front of Daisy. Tapping the top and peeling back the shell, she didn’t need to urge Daisy to tuck in, for this was her favourite breakfast.

‘That’s a good idea, Anne,’ she said, sitting back down to drink her tea. ‘I might very well do that. Cycling all that way over the hills is beyond me, and I don’t trust that seat on the back for Daisy. It’s far too flimsy, and she wriggles about quite alarmingly.’

‘I’ll ask Uncle Frank to drive up to Chalky’s and arrange to bring the car back,’ said Charlie. ‘I’ll have a look at the engine if you like, Mum.’

‘Thank you, dear,’ she said on a smile, resisting the urge to brush his dark hair off his forehead. ‘That would be kind, but I think Jack better give it the once-over as well. It’s been up on bricks for years in that old barn, and I suspect the rats and mice have been having a field day in it.’

Charlie shrugged as if this would pose him no problem and helped himself to more toast. There was a commotion at the back door, then Ron arrived with the dogs, which burst into the kitchen with great enthusiasm to greet everyone and beg for any scraps that might be going.

‘Come on, wee boy,’ Ron said jovially. ‘The sun’s been up for hours and we’ve got work to do. You can eat that on the way.’

Charlie regarded him with a frown. ‘Are we walking?’

‘And how else d’ye think we’ll get there?’ asked Ron, his bushy eyebrows wriggling.

‘Well, I thought you might bring Rosie’s car,’ the boy replied, pushing back from the table. ‘It’s a long way, and we’ll have tools and things to carry.’

‘Ach, so it’s the life of leisure you’ll be wanting, is it? To be sure, you have two fine legs to be walking, ye wee scamp,’ he said, ruffling the boy’s hair and grinning. ‘’Tis a grand day, so it is, and the walk will do you good.’

Charlie stuffed the last of his toast into his mouth and chewed on it as he grabbed the flat cap he’d taken to wearing lately. Shoving it over his thick mop of dark hair, he pulled on an old jacket over his dungarees and swallowed the toast. ‘See you all tonight then,’ he said gloomily.

‘To be sure, ’tis a grand thing Frank has the utility outside,’ said Ron on a sigh. ‘So get a move on, boy. The day is wasting.’

Charlie looked at him askance at being so easily fooled. ‘Grandad!’

Ron winked at him then headed back down the steps to the basement, the two dogs chasing at his heels.

Peggy couldn’t help but smile as her son hurried after him. ‘Ron certainly fooled him there. But he’ll learn.’

‘I’d better get off too,’ said Sarah, pulling a cardigan over her light summer dress. ‘It wouldn’t be right to turn up late after having yesterday off.’