Ralph hesitated before answering. ‘I seem to recall you saying you’d stayed at home to look after your mother, so I assumed you must be the only child.’

Olivia was impressed that he had remembered her very words. ‘Fancy you remembering that.’

Again, he gave her one of his private winks, whilst tapping his forefinger against his temple. ‘Up here for thinking, down there for dancing.’

Olivia laughed. ‘That’s why you’re the teacher and I’m the pupil.’ She glanced at the road ahead. ‘Have you been to this pub before?’

He nodded. ‘They do a cracking meat and potato pie, if you like pies, that is.’

Olivia grinned. ‘Love them, only steak and kidney’s my favourite.’

Ralph sighed wistfully. ‘Now you’re talking. I love a good steak and kidney pie,’ he grimaced, ‘although I can’t stand those vile canned kidneys they try and get us to choke down. You won’t have had them yet, and take it from me, you’ll pass when they drop them off with your rations.’

She laughed. ‘So you’re not keen on them, then?’

He held up a finger. ‘Kidneys should never be served in a tin – a bit like egg should never be powdered.’

Olivia wrinkled her nose in solidarity. ‘It’s one of the many things I won’t miss when this dreadful business comes to an end.’

Ralph held up a hand indicating a large stone public house to the side of the road ahead of them. ‘Here we are, the Rose and Crown.’

Stepping across the threshold, Olivia followed Ralph to the bar, where a dumpy woman with a cheery face greeted them. ‘Hello, my dears, what can I get you?’

‘I’ll have a pint of your best bitter, and …’ Ralph looked at Olivia who ordered a half of mild.

The woman got two glasses and held the first under the pump handle as she explained the menu choices. ‘We don’t bother with written menus any more ’cos we don’t know what we’ll be having from one day to the next, so today’s choice is either meat and potato pie with all the trimmings, or fish and chips.’

‘I’ll have the meat and potato pie, please,’ Ralph said promptly. ‘Liv?’ Before she could answer he quickly added, ‘Do you mind if I call you Liv?’

‘Not at all,’ said Olivia, enjoying his familiarity. ‘And make that two meat and potato pies, please.’

The woman finished pouring their drinks and handed them over. ‘If you’d like to take a pew, I’ll bring your meals out when they’re ready.’

Ralph handed the money over before joining Olivia at the window seat she had chosen. ‘It’s a lovely little spot, this, isn’t it?’ she said, staring out at the meadows across the way.