Diane had met a suave physiotherapist from the hospital in York and he had suggested that she would make a perfect nurse. He had told her there were training allowances starting at £200 per year, plus twenty-eight days’ holiday with pay. A professional career in the arms of the handsome health worker stretched out before Diane. However, all was not what it seemed. He had given her a copy of ‘A Nurse’s Life’ from the Ministry of Labour & National Service and then asked her to sleep with him on their second date.

Unknown to Diane, Bernard was a sexual predator with a string of conquests. Sadly, it was the first disappointment of many that were to befall the Ragley village hairdresser. Her mother offered her a cigarette and some advice. ‘Don’t trust men,’ she said. ‘They’re only after one thing.’

Their first customer arrived. It was Violet Fawnswater.

‘I thought I would try that beauty treatment shampoo you mentioned, Diane,’ said Violet.

‘White Rain,’ said Diane, ‘new from America. A sachet f’ninepence or t’economy bottle for ’alf a crown. Meks ’air shiny, silky an’ beautiful, an’ preserves y’natural oils.’

Diane was better with her products than with her choice of men.

‘Ronnie, ah want t’call ’er Racquel,’ said Ruby.

‘Racquel? ’Ow come?’ Ronnie was pleased. He had no recollection of a previous girlfriend called Racquel and it occurred to him it could have been a lot worse. It could have been Thelma.

‘Ah were readin’ that Gipsy Fortuna what does star signs,’ said Ruby. ‘She tells y’fortune in t’Erald an’ she said yesterday were a lucky day.’

‘Star signs?’

‘Yes, Ronnie. She’s called Racquel Fortuna. Sounds posh.’

The new astrologer had started a weekly column in the Easington Herald & Pioneer and many of the ladies in the village had become avid followers. The fact that Gipsy Fortuna was actually Brenda from the bread shop in Thirkby who needed extra cash for a new wardrobe was not common knowledge.

The Saturday Spring Dance was a great success. The village hall was full, and chairs and tables had been placed around the outside to leave plenty of room for dancing. Clarence Higginbottom had set up a bar on a huge trestle table stacked high with barrels of beer and soft drinks. Then he returned to The Royal Oak, leaving his wife and daughter in charge. Meanwhile, young men were hoping to catch the eye of one of the girls while old-timers swapped stories.

John Pruett had brought a gramophone and set about selecting appropriate records for the various dances. It wasn’t long before Vera gave up trying to guide Joseph through the basic steps of a waltz, but Lily was impressed with Tom. She was a good dancer herself, and he proved surprisingly adept and coped wonderfully with the quickstep.