For a moment she was tempted to speak up. ‘No, of course not,’ she said instead. ‘You’re a grown man, you can do as you like.’

‘That’s my girl.’ He held her tighter, his arms wrapped around her. ‘They’re just ordinary men, you know,’ he said. ‘Whatever Mrs Church likes to say about it.’

‘She made it sound like you’d spent the night in a den of thieves!’ Anna searched Edward’s face as she said it, but he only laughed.

‘Did she now? I daresay she thought we were planning our next bank robbery.’

‘Don’t give her ideas!’ Anna hesitated a moment, then said, ‘She mentioned someone called Billy Willis?’ Edward’s expression was blank. ‘Do you know him?’

‘I’ve heard of him, of course. And I know people who know him. But I can’t say I’ve ever met the man personally. Not sure I’d want to, either.’

‘But Mrs Church said—’

‘Mrs Church would say anything to make me look bad,’ Edward cut her off. ‘I can’t do a thing right as far as that old cow’s concerned.’

‘Edward!’

‘I’m sorry, but she’s driving me barmy. She’s always watching me, keeping tabs, waiting to tell you what I’ve been doing.’

‘I don’t take any notice of her, you know that.’

‘Yes, but that doesn’t stop her, does it?’

Anna sighed. ‘I’ll speak to her again.’

‘I was hoping you’d do more than that.’

‘What do you mean?’

Edward’s expression softened. ‘If anyone should be in that shop, it’s you. You’re Friedrich Beck’s daughter, you’d be able to bring the customers in far better than Mrs Church can. Who wants to see her sour face behind the counter? And as for that sharp tongue of hers …’ He looked down at Anna. ‘It’s what your father wanted, isn’t it? You and me working together?’

Anna blinked up at him, realisation dawning. ‘You want me to give up nursing?’

‘Why not? It was never what you wanted, was it? You only signed up because of the war. You trained as a baker, Anna. It was always your dream, remember?’

He was right, she thought. It was her dream. And it was what Papa would have wanted, too.

She had a misty vision of herself and Edward working alongside each other, laughing together in the bakery kitchen, just like her own mother and father had done. They might even be able to get rid of Charlie. His presence disturbed her more than she liked to admit.

‘And just think, I won’t be able to get into trouble with my new friends if you’re there to keep me on the straight and narrow!’ he said.

Anna shoved him playfully in the ribs. ‘I trust you.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’ He caught her hands in his, thumbs gently tracing circles on the skin. ‘So what do you say? You and me, working together, just like old times?’

It sounded like heaven. But still something niggled at her.

‘What about Mrs Church?’

Edward’s blue eyes grew cold. ‘What about her?’