‘Is it all right if I tell my mother?’ said Bonnie. ‘She’d be interested to hear the truth after all these years.’

‘Only not before you speak to your friends,’ said Olivia, giving an encouraging nod in the direction of the telephone.

Bonnie got to her feet. ‘Back in a mo.’

Olivia stared at Maude. ‘All this time and not a clue, then one chance conversation and boom! What are the odds?’

‘Millions to one,’ said Maude. ‘When are you going to tell Ted?

‘As soon as Bonnie’s finished on the telephone.’ Olivia shook her head in disbelief. ‘I’d better make sure he’s sitting down before I tell him everything.’ She gave a mirthless chuckle. ‘At least he can get his teddy back now.’

‘The memorial!’ said Maude. She eyed her friend cautiously. ‘How do you feel about your father?’

Olivia’s features clouded over. ‘I don’t know. Part of me wants to scream at him for lying to me all this time, but the more rational part thinks, why bother? He’ll make excuses for his behaviour, saying that he did what he thought was right at the time, because that’s all he ever says.’

Bonnie returned. ‘I’ve put word out that I need to speak to Tom Durning as a matter of urgency.’ She held up crossed fingers. ‘Hopefully he won’t ignore my pleas.’

Maude looked up in surprise. ‘Do you think he’s still annoyed with you?’

Bonnie shrugged. ‘He knows I rued the day I opened my big gob, but my actions had huge consequences for George. If the worst has happened, and I pray it hasn’t, I wouldn’t blame Tom if he never wanted to speak to me again.’

Maude gave Olivia a grim smile. ‘Time to phone Ted?’

Olivia walked towards the telephone, picked up the receiver and asked for Ted’s base, her heart beating as though it were trying to escape her chest. How did you tell the father of your child that not only was his baby alive, but was serving in the NAAFI?

‘Liv?’ Ted’s voice came down the receiver.

She hesitated.

‘I thought you were ringing tomorrow?’

She could hear the note of dread in his voice; he was obviously anticipating bad news.

‘I know, but I couldn’t wait that long. I tried to ring Greystones, only they’ve closed due to the war, so I chatted to Bonnie – she’s the cook – and …’ Olivia relayed the conversation to Ted, then paused, waiting for his response. When none came, she feared they had been cut off. ‘Ted?’

‘Jessica …’ His voice was hoarse with emotion. ‘We have a daughter?’

Olivia bit back the tears. What she would give to be in Ted’s arms right now. ‘We certainly do, and she sounds just wonderful, Ted … I could ruddy well swing for my father – all those lies, the wasted years …’

‘No point in dwelling on the past. I just thank God he inadvertently told the truth in the end, else we’d never have found her …’ Ted paused. ‘She obviously hasn’t got a clue about us?’