Sybil sat back in the hospital chair she had been tensely perched on. ‘All I can say is the Brigadier is a very lucky man,’ she declared.

Rosie wriggled her thin body to the side of the bed so that she could be nearer to Sybil.

‘There was a bit more to it than luck on his side,’ she whispered. ‘My friend Daisy, the little kitchen maid with the photo album I just mentioned, she worshipped her ladyship. Well, she heard it from the Stowupland chauffeur who she was engaged to that –’

And at that precise moment Sister Mann appeared at Rosie’s bedside.

‘The doctor’s due to see you in fifteen minutes, Mrs Pickles,’ she said briskly. ‘I need to take your temperature and check your blood pressure before he arrives.’ Turning to the visitor, she added, ‘If you’ll excuse us, please.’

Feeling like she might scream in sheer frustration, Sybil rose to her feet.

‘Nice talking to you,’ she said lamely as she left Rosie.

Walking down the hospital corridor, irritated Sybil seethed under her breath. ‘Damn, blast and buggeration! Why did we have to get interrupted?’

Too restless to stay indoors, Sybil stomped along the garden path that led down to the marsh, where the tide was out, and sea-birds pecked and dibbled in the silvery sage-green grass that grew on the sandbanks. Cooled by the salty sea-breeze, Sybil followed a track that skirted the edges of the bay. Standing staring out across a sea that was so blue it merged with the blue of the sky dotted with seagulls soaring and dipping on the warm air currents, Sybil gave herself a good talking to.

‘Be patient for a bit longer – at least you know that you’re on the right track.’

25. Home Sweet Home

At the same time that Sybil was staring out across the Irish Sea, Ada was busy in her cottage garden digging in the tomato and strawberry plants that Farmer Arkwright had recently given her.

‘Plant ’em south facing and water ’em well,’ he had advised. ‘You should get a fine crop afore long.’

Though it hurt her tight tummy to bend over too far, Ada was enjoying being outdoors in the fresh air. A cheeky little robin followed her every move before popping down from the hawthorn bush and perching to peck at a fat earthworm Ada had just uncovered. With the sun shining on her tanned face and her hair caught loosely in a blue ribbon, Ada gave a little smile as her baby changed position.

‘Sorry, darling,’ she murmured, as she briefly stopped digging in order to let her baby settle back down again.

Turning her gaze to the fruit trees that edged the garden – apple, plum and pear, all of which showed signs of bearing fruit – a sudden thought brought an excited smile to Ada’s face.