‘And you could have yours if only you’d give him a chance, and I think that Spencer is a dear, although maybe I’m not the best judge of character.’

Beth decided to be frank. ‘The only fellers that ask me out are the macho type who want to show me off to their pals, hardly the basis for a serious relationship. I know Spencer’s not like the rest of them, but there again I thought Ralph was cut from a different cloth.’

‘Not all men are bad,’ said Olivia, ‘but you’ll never find out unless you take the plunge, and just for the record I don’t think Spencer found it easy to ask you out, even if he had just saved your life.’ She shook her head as Beth tried to interrupt. ‘He’s not cocky like some of them,’ she tried to swallow her smile, ‘he likes trainspotting, for goodness’ sake! I don’t think he has a macho bone in his entire body.’

Beth suppressed a giggle. ‘That’s what I thought, and he does make me laugh, but I don’t want to agree to go out with him just to have him start swaggering round like an idiot.’

Olivia pictured Corporal Evans. Ginger-haired, pale-skinned, and an open, honest face. She shook her head. ‘If he turns out to be like Ralph, I’ll eat my hat – yours, too, if it comes to that.’

Beth looked at the letter which rested on her knees. ‘If you’re wrong …’

Olivia squealed with delight. ‘Good girl! I just know he’s going to make you happy!’ She gave a contented sigh. She had felt increasingly guilty over Beth’s refusal to date, knowing that it was her encounter with Ralph which had formed her decision. As for Ralph himself, no one had seen hide nor hair of him since he’d last set foot in Shirehampton.

She opened Maude’s letter.

Dearest Liv,

Guess who I bumped into the other day? He’s gorgeous to look at but rotten to the core …

Olivia’s head snapped up. ‘Maude’s seen Ralph.’

Beth’s features clouded over. ‘What’s he done now?’

‘Haven’t got that far,’ Olivia admitted before studying the letter in detail.

I don’t think he recognised me at first, and when he did, he couldn’t wait to get away, possibly because he’s no longer a corporal! Obviously, he wasn’t going to tell me what had happened, so I asked around and it turns out he’d been caught with a Waaf when he was meant to be courting the major’s daughter. Apparently, it caused a real brouhaha, and he’s been demoted because of it!

Olivia gave a short squeal as she read the last bit. She passed the letter over to Beth, who was staring at her, on tenterhooks. She waited until Beth squealed then started laughing. ‘Talk about getting your just deserts.’

‘And to think he had the nerve to portray himself as holier than thou!’