It was just before five o’clock when she was standing by the bus stop outside the village hall. A burly man in a flat cap suddenly stopped his Land Rover across the road. He was towing a trailer stacked high with straw bales.

‘D’you want a lift, luv?’ he shouted.

‘No thank you,’ replied Lily.

‘Not seen you ’round ’ere.’

Lily didn’t answer and turned to study the bus timetable.

‘Bus might not be ’ere for a while. Y’might as well jump in an’ ah’ll tek you t’where y’goin’.’

Lily stared back at the unwelcome villager. A cigarette hung from his fleshy lips. ‘I’m fine, thank you, and don’t need a lift.’

‘Ah’m Stan Coe. Who are you then?’

‘If you don’t mind I don’t want to have a conversation with you across the street,’ said Lily in a voice that brooked no argument.

‘Ah can come over there then.’

‘No thank you.’

At that moment a little black police car pulled up outside the General Stores and a policeman got out. He paused and stared at Stan Coe, then glanced at the attractive young woman.

‘Everything all right, Miss?’ he called.

Lily smiled at the newcomer. He was a tall, broad-shouldered policeman with sergeant stripes on his sleeves. She pointed towards the leering Stan Coe. ‘This gentleman was trying to engage me in conversation.’

Stan glowered at the policeman and drove off quickly.

‘Not any more by the look of it,’ said the young man with a smile.

‘Thank you,’ said a relieved Lily.

‘A pleasure, Miss,’ he said and carelessly brushed a lock of wavy black hair from his eyes.

‘I’m waiting for the bus,’ she added by way of explanation.

‘Here it comes now,’ he said as the bus appeared on the Morton road and drew up next to Lily.

She climbed aboard, found a seat and glanced through the window. The policeman was standing across the road outside the General Stores and, as the bus pulled away, he smiled.

Florence Briggs had prepared a plate of boiled beef and potatoes and was sitting in her tiny kitchen with Lily and young Freddie. She looked quizzically at her daughter. ‘So, have you had a good day?’

‘Yes, Mother – eventful, but I survived.’

‘And how was Mr Pruett?’

‘Kind and helpful. I’m lucky to have him as a headteacher.’

‘What about the children? How are they?’

‘A wide variety, as you would expect. Reading will be a challenge, but I’ve got plans to improve that.’

Florence looked thoughtful. She felt at ease to see her daughter so animated and apparently enjoying her new job.

It was after Lily had put Freddie to bed and they were sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea that Florence probed further. ‘So, did you meet any of the villagers?’