‘Everything,’ said Maude. ‘I’ve been in and out of the lavvy all afternoon, although I’m better now, thanks for asking.’ She gave him a meaningful look as she saw realisation dawn on his face. ‘Penny finally dropped?’

He swallowed. ‘It was a joke, we were playing a game. Surely you didn’t believe …’

Maude walked towards Ralph until she was inches away from his face. She pointed to the billet, her finger shaking with anger. ‘Beth’s in there crying her bloody eyes out, does that sound like a joke to you?’ She was about to walk away when her anger got the better of her. She brought her hand round in an arc and slapped Ralph across the face. ‘That’s for Beth.’ She turned to Olivia. ‘He made Beth promise not to tell you that he was the one who’d tried it on with her, because if she did, he’d say it was her that tried it on with him, and that you’d believe him ’cos you thought she was a tart before.’ She looked at Olivia, her eyes filled with sorrow. ‘That’s not all. It seems he only asked you out because your father has money.’

Ted, who had been quietly waiting for Maude to take him for a cup of tea, looked up at this. ‘He said what?’

Ralph looked wildly around him for someone to back him up, but it was clear he was on his own. He decided his only form of defence was to turn the tables on Olivia. ‘You’re no better, turning up with him! Is that why you were trying to find out where I was, so that you could bring him back here?’

‘No,’ said Olivia, still reeling from hearing Maude’s revelations. ‘I wanted to talk to you …’

‘What utter rot!’ said Ralph. ‘You wanted to make sure the coast was clear for you and lover boy here.’

‘Don’t judge me by your actions,’ Olivia said quietly.

Ralph stared at her in disgust. ‘I don’t know why I’d expect any different. After all, if you lie down with dogs you get fleas. You’ve been around Beth so long you’ve started acting like a tart …’ He got no further. Ted’s fist had connected with his jaw, lifting him clean off the ground.

‘Say that again!’ roared Ted.

Maude refrained from giving Ted a small round of applause.

Ted stood over Ralph. ‘I don’t know much about you or what you’ve done to try and make Beth shut up, but I will tell you this. If you don’t leave this base right now and never come back, I’ll make sure you wish you had.’

Ralph stood up. Rubbing his chin with his hand, he turned on his heel, but not before muttering a parting shot at Olivia. ‘You’ve got a mirror, you must’ve wondered why I asked you out.’