The next morning, after a meagre breakfast of vile-tasting white margarine and stale bread, the likes of which made Sybil appreciate the butter and freshly baked bread that was served as often as possible at Mary Vale, she collected up her maths textbooks and set off for the nearest library, where she planned to spend the rest of the day swotting up in readiness for her vital maths exam the following morning. As she hurried down the road beside Downing Street, she sidestepped the sandbagged machine-gun emplacement there, well guarded by armed soldiers wearing tin hats. Loops of barbed wire surrounding government buildings were everywhere, again protected by soldiers on guard, all holding loaded rifles. In her former working days Sybil would have taken all of this in her stride, but after months in the countryside, with the fells and the sea providing her only views, she was surprised at how suddenly jumpy she was.

‘Heavens, after all the complaining you’ve done about Mary Vale,’ she mocked herself, ‘don’t turn into a country bumpkin and start moping for green fields and pretty flowers.’

Cautiously making her way through all the military paraphernalia, Sybil was hardly aware of who she was passing until a voice rang out: ‘Sybil Harwood!’

Stopping in her tracks, Sybil turned to see an old chum from the War Office hurrying towards her.

‘Alice!’ she exclaimed.

‘Darling, how are you?’ Alice cried, as she wrapped her arms around Sybil and gave her a hug. ‘Please tell me you’re back?’ she asked eagerly.

‘No, not really,’ Sybil quickly answered. ‘In fact, I’m just on my way to the library around the corner – I’ve got a bit of revising to do.’

Linking her arm through Sybil’s, Alice pulled her in the opposite direction.

‘Blow the library, let’s catch up over a pot of tea – darling, I have so much to tell you!’

After they had placed their order in the steamy café, Alice launched off about the change of staff, their increased hours and her new boyfriend; then, dropping her voice, she poured out the most recent gossip on Brigadier Baldwin.

‘Sybil, forgive me, I know you had a thing going with the Brig,’ she said confidentially.

‘Don’t worry, Alice, that part of my life is well in the past; believe me, I haven’t seen the man in months,’ Sybil replied in all truth.

Alice looked visibly relieved. ‘That’s excellent,’ she blurted out. ‘The bounder wasted no time once you had gone.’ She suddenly stopped and cocked her head. ‘Where exactly did you go, dear?’

Unblinking and lying through her teeth, Sybil smiled. ‘I was posted to a military base up in the North.’

Alice gave a quick nod and continued. ‘As I was saying, he didn’t beat about the bush: promoted his new secretary and in no time at all he was seen all over town with her.’