She turned away and retraced her steps towards the beach, wanting to find their hollow in the dunes. But her path was barred by coils of barbed wire, bouncing and rocking in the breeze, stretching along the edge of the dunes. And a huge notice in red lettering proclaimed ‘DANGER – MINES’. Kate gasped. They’d blocked off the beach and mined the sand-dunes too.

Thinking back longingly to the days when she and Danny had run barefoot across the smooth, unspoilt sands, for the first time she felt a spurt of hatred for this war.

Close by the concrete pillbox which the army had built for their observers stationed at the Point, she was about to turn away when she heard the unexpected sound of girlish giggles.

Kate’s mouth set in a grim line as she marched towards the entrance and peered into the gloomy interior. On a groundsheet, wrapped together in a passionate embrace, were a young man in khaki army uniform and a girl with blonde hair and shapely legs.

‘Rosie!’ Kate’s startled gasp escaped her lips before she could prevent it.

The couple shot apart, the girl pulling down her dress and scrambling to her feet.

Kate turned and stumbled away through the tufts of thick grass.

‘Kate! Kate! Wait – please!’ There was such desperation in Rosie’s voice that Kate stopped. She did not turn around but stood still until Rosie reached her.

Grasping Kate’s arm, Rosie begged, ‘Please don’t tell me dad, Katie. He’d kill me. But it’s not what you think. Honest. It’s – it’s only a bit of fun.’

‘It looked like it!’ Kate snorted. ‘Danny was right about you . . .’

Rosie’s eyes widened and in them now was a look of sheer terror. ‘Danny? Oh, no – please don’t tell Danny. Please, Kate. I couldn’t bear it if he – if he . . .’

‘If he – what?’ Kate asked quietly.

Rosie’s gaze fell away and her grasp on Kate’s arm loosened. ‘Nothing. I just don’t want you to tell – anyone.’

Kate regarded her thoughtfully. That was understandable she thought reasonably. Yet the thought of Danny knowing of her romping in the sand-dunes had positively terrified Rosie. Kate sighed. ‘All right, I won’t tell anyone, but as long as you promise me you’ll be careful. These lads are lonely and a long way from home, Rosie. They – they might want too much from a pretty girl like you.’

‘It’s only a kiss and a cuddle, Katie, honest,’ Rosie promised.

‘Well – just mind it is.’

As she turned away and left Rosie to go back to her young man, Kate couldn’t help thinking to herself, ‘I sound just like my mother!’

‘Please, Kate,’ Rosie’s plea followed her. ‘Please don’t tell Danny.’