When Lily cycled past the village green Big Dave and Little Malcolm were peering into the village pond and collecting frogspawn in jam jars. They gave a cheerful wave as she rode up the Morton road in the morning sunshine with the soft breeze in her face.

She passed the village milkmen, Alfie Morgetroyd and his son Ernie. They were going at their usual sedate pace, accompanied by the familiar clip-clop of their horse’s hooves and the rattle of churns. The horse knew when to stop and women came out with jugs of all shapes and sizes. Ernie would scoop a ladleful of precious milk while Alfie passed the time of day.

Lily smiled. It was a gentle scene that had become part of the fabric of her life. Finally, she turned into the vicarage driveway, parked her bicycle against the wall and went into the church hall. Vera and the ladies of the St Mary’s Social Committee were already hard at work preparing for that afternoon’s Easter Bring and Buy Sale. Lily removed her hat and gloves and walked over to a trestle table laden with books, toys and knitted dishcloths.

Also, propped against the table leg was the most wonderful teddy bear she had ever seen.

Edith Tripps, the thirty-seven-year-old headteacher of Morton Primary School and a dear friend of Vera, saw Lily’s surprise. ‘He’s magnificent, isn’t he?’

‘Oh, hello, Miss Tripps,’ said Lily. ‘Yes, I was just admiring him.’

Edith stooped down and picked up the teddy bear. ‘He was left behind by a wealthy American who visited the village with her daughter and he was too big to fit in her luggage.’

‘I see,’ said Lily. ‘Well, we must find him a good home.’

‘I said exactly the same to Vera.’

Joyce Davenport, the doctor’s wife and treasurer of the Social Committee, appeared carrying two brass candlesticks. ‘Where shall I put these, Edith?’

‘With the rest of the bric-a-brac, I presume,’ said Edith.

Joyce pointed a candlestick at the teddy bear. ‘I see you’re admiring our furry friend, Lily. Rather than put him on sale, why don’t you take him back to school? I’m sure the children would love him.’

‘What a good idea,’ said Edith with a wry smile, ‘but we had better clear it with our leader.’

They all turned and looked at Vera, who was checking the quality of the napkins on the refreshment table. She called across to them, concerned at their apparent inactivity, ‘Come along, ladies – Proverbs sixteen, twenty-seven.’

Lily and Joyce looked puzzled. ‘Don’t worry,’ whispered Edith, ‘that’s one of her old favourites: “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”’

‘Right,’ said Joyce, ‘come on, ladies, back to work.’

The teenage friends Nora Pratt and Shirley Makin were in the General Stores. ‘Good morning, Miss Golightly,’ said Shirley. ‘We’re goin’ t’make a cake.’

‘It’s for t’Bwing an’ Buy Sale,’ added Nora.