They climbed Steep Hill, their arms linked casually, talking when they felt like it, or just in companionable silence.

‘Tell me how things are at home. Have you managed any leave recently?’ he asked her.

‘No – not since you were there. It was difficult – after the air-raid.’ She was silent for a moment, thinking about Rosie, seeing in her mind’s eye the girl in the shadows of the pillbox with a soldier.

‘You were right about Rosie,’ she murmured.

She felt his arm stiffen under hers. ‘Rosie? What about Rosie?’

She couldn’t see his face in the blackness, but there was a strange note in his tone, almost like a defensiveness.

Kate was silent. She was remembering now Rosie begging her not to tell Danny. Of all people, she didn’t want Danny to know. Kate felt guilty, wishing she had kept quiet. She’d had a little too much to drink, that was the trouble; her mouth was apt to say what it liked.

‘Kate?’ he prompted. He was not going to let it rest there.

‘Oh, it’s nothing. She just flirts about a bit. You know.’

He stopped and turned to face her, taking hold of her shoulders, peering at her through the darkness. ‘No, I don’t know. You tell me.’

I – I caught her in that pillbox the army has built at the Point – with one of the soldiers.’

For a moment, his fingers dug into her arms. Then he let go.

‘Well, I’m not having that. Next time I go home, I’ll sort her out – an’ him, if need be.’

‘Oh Danny, don’t be stupid. I wish I hadn’t told you.’

‘I’m glad you did. I wouldn’t want to see young Rosiè getting ’ersen into trouble.’

‘And how are we going to stop her? We’re not there.’

‘I’ll think of something,’ Danny muttered.

They walked along in silence, Kate wishing she hadn’t let her unruly tongue run away with itself.

‘We’d better be getting back to the dance hall. It must be getting late.’

They turned and walked back down the hill, their footsteps echoing hollowly on the cobbles.

When they arrived back at the hall, the caretakers were clearing up. There was no sign of any of their friends.

And worse still – all the transport trucks had disappeared.

Twenty-Seven

‘Oh heck! Now what are we going to do?’ Danny muttered, while Kate stared in horror at the spot where the trucks had been parked. There was not a vehicle of any sort to be seen.

‘Come on,’ Danny said. ‘We’ll start walking and see if we can hitch a lift.’

‘Not likely,’ she argued, finding her voice. ‘I’ve tried that once before. I’m not walking all that way . . .’

‘What do you mean, you’ve done it before?’ he asked, a belligerent note in his voice. ‘When?’