Olivia rinsed her toothbrush under the tap. ‘Looks like we’re finally giving the Nazis a run for their money!’

‘About time too,’ said Beth. ‘Do you think they’ll let us have leave now it’s all over?’

Olivia gave her friend a reproving glance. ‘I think you might be jumping the gun a bit there. It’s far from over, but they’ve certainly got a good footing.’

‘Perhaps I did put that badly,’ Beth conceded. ‘What I meant was, now that the cat’s out of the bag and everything’s no longer hush-hush, will they let us have leave again?’

Olivia blew her cheeks out. ‘I’d like to think so, but I doubt it.’

A Waaf at the sink next to Olivia’s spoke up. ‘It depends on what else they’ve got planned, but if they’ve got Hitler by the short and curlies, I doubt they’ll give us any time off until they’ve got the job done.’

‘But that could be ages yet,’ moaned Beth, ‘and I so wanted to see Spencer. It’s been yonks since I saw him last.’

‘There’s no harm in asking,’ replied the Waaf.

Olivia glanced at her reflection in the mirror. If they really were allowing people to have leave again, she could make arrangements to go and see Ted. ‘Let me know when you ask for leave, I’ll come with you. Perhaps the success of the invasion will have put Officer Wendell in a good mood and he might say yes to both of us!’

After breakfast, the girls headed for their commanding officer’s private office. ‘You go first,’ Olivia told Beth. ‘I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.’

Smiling, Beth straightened her jacket, rapped on the door and waited for the order to enter. She headed into the room, only to reappear a few seconds later looking forlorn.

‘Oh,’ said Olivia dejectedly, ‘I’m taking it the answer was still no?’

Beth nodded miserably. ‘He laughed first, though, so at least his sense of humour’s returning.’

‘Oh heck,’ said Olivia. ‘I won’t even try if that’s the case.’ She brightened a little. ‘Perhaps Ted and Spencer might have better luck asking to come here?’

Beth brightened. ‘Worth a shot, I suppose.’

The girls wasted no time in telephoning the relevant NAAFIs only to be told that there was no chance of the boys coming down to visit.

‘Already asked,’ said Ted, ‘and his precise words were: “No one told me that hell had frozen over and I assume it must have, because that’s the only way you’ll be getting leave.”’ Ted sighed. ‘He could’ve just said no.’

‘At least he didn’t laugh at you,’ Olivia said.

‘Looks like we’ll have to make do with letters and phone calls for a bit longer yet,’ said Ted. ‘How’re Nana and Pops?’