Peggy kissed her goodbye and as the girl hurried down the steps, she cleaned the egg from Daisy’s face and helped her down from the table so she could play with Rose and Emily in the hall.

‘How did it go at the staff meeting yesterday?’

‘It’s going to be a big school when it’s finished,’ Anne replied. ‘As you know, they’ve built on the old school site as well as where the two blocks of flats used to be. The junior classrooms, main hall, staff room and gym are finished, but the seniors will have to use the prefabs until the rest is done – but that won’t be for much longer, because the work’s proceeding at quite a pace. The headmaster, Mr Rowney, was deputy head when I taught there before the war, so I know we’re in good hands.’

‘What are you going to do about Rose and Emily while you’re at school? Martin won’t be around much once the air-freight business is up and running.’

‘I was rather hoping you could help with that,’ said Anne.

‘Oh, Anne, you know I don’t have the time to babysit, however much I might want to,’ Peggy replied on a sigh.

‘And I don’t expect you to, Mum. But the factory crèche would be ideal, and as I understand it, the numbers are right down at the moment with so many workers going back to their homes. I wondered if you could persuade Solly to let the girls go there. I would pay the going rate, obviously,’ she added quickly.

‘It’s certainly a very good idea,’ agreed Peggy, ‘and Nanny Pringle is simply marvellous with them all. I’ll pop in on my way to work and see how the land lies. But I warn you, Anne, he might not agree to it.’

‘I know, but it’s worth a try.’

‘What’s Betty doing about childcare for Joseph?’

‘Now Brendon’s back on the trawlers with Uncle Frank, he was hoping Pauline would lend a hand, but it seems she’s far too busy with her office job at the Red Cross – and actually they don’t really trust her to look after him properly. So they’ve found a nice, respectable little woman who lives nearby who is only too pleased to look after Joseph along with her own baby for a couple of pounds a week during term-time.’

‘It’s a great shame Pauline can’t help. But I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.’ Peggy was about to get on with the washing-up when she was alerted to the sound of the post being dropped into the wire box.

Rushing into the hall, she quickly sifted through the letters and, with a sigh of thankfulness, plucked out the one from Jim. ‘It’s from your father,’ she said gleefully, placing the rest of the post on the kitchen table.

‘Sit and read it, then, while I clear up,’ said Anne.

Peggy’s hand was trembling as she tore open the envelope and drew out the two pages.