‘Well, I needn’t worry about meeting a feller out here,’ Maude said conversationally. ‘The most I’m going to run into is a sheep or a cow.’

‘Where’s the NAAFI, the cookhouse …’ Olivia pulled an anxious face, ‘… the ablutions?’

Ralph grinned. ‘You’ll be doing your own cooking, and the ablutions are behind your billet. The truck comes round once a week to empty them.’

Olivia heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Thank goodness for that.’

Ralph led the girls around the site, which didn’t take long, before stepping inside their billet. ‘This will be your new home.’

The girls scanned the interior of the hut, which wasn’t actually too bad. The beds were of sturdy construction, the floor had been swept clean and there was no sign of damp.

He smiled at them. ‘The rations lorry will be calling by later on this afternoon. When the men were here, they took it in turns to do the cooking.’

‘Excuse me, Corporal, but what do we do for fun?’ asked one of the girls from the other lorry.

Ralph turned to address her. ‘You get one twenty-four-hour and two evening passes a week.’

‘You’ll have to take us out and show us the sights,’ giggled the Waaf.

Olivia peered round to see who had spoken and her eyes rested on a busty blonde with a tiny waist. Olivia felt her cheeks redden.

Ralph glanced around the rest of the Waafs. ‘Any more questions?’

The bolshie blonde held up a hand. ‘Are you single?’

The comment was met by a ripple of giggles.

Ralph wagged a reproving finger. ‘Has anyone got any questions regarding their new site?’ With no further response, he left them to settle in.

‘Bagsie the hot corporal,’ said the blonde as she placed her kitbag on one of the beds.

Maude looked at Olivia who was running a finger over the top of her locker. ‘Someone’s a bit brassy.’

Olivia shrugged. ‘She’s only having a bit of fun. Besides, she’s more his type than I am.’

Maude looked at her in surprise. ‘How do you know? Anyway, I doubt it, you’re the sort of girl that Ralph goes for.’

A Waaf from the same bus as the blonde placed her things on the bed next to Maude’s. ‘If you’re on about Beth Moreton, then you’ve hit the nail on the head. She goes through men like water.’ She held out a hand. ‘I’m Josie Cotter.’

Maude and Olivia took it in turns to introduce themselves. ‘You know her, then?’ said Olivia, jerking her head in the direction of the girl called Beth.

Josie nodded. ‘We did our training together, and she was brassy from the word go, although I agree that Corporal Stebbins is a bit of all right.’

Maude smiled. ‘They called him Sexy Stebbins in Pucklechurch,’ she glanced at Olivia, ‘and he’s got his eye on our Liv here.’

‘Lucky bugger,’ sighed Josie. She looked at Maude. ‘Have you got a feller?’