‘It’s a big step, Tom. But you know I’m keen.’ She was torn between her past and a possible future, but deep down she knew she wanted this man. She had looked into his eyes and seen his soul.

‘I can wait a little longer if you want,’ he said, but she could see the disappointment on his face. Tom recognized the signs. It was as if she was so close to saying yes and relaxing in his arms, but then a door closed.

‘In that case, Tom Feather …’ said Lily with a smile …

It was then that little Rosie Finn shattered the moment. She ran across the green towards her clutching a small bunch of buttercups and shouted, ‘Do y’like butter, Miss?’

Lily smiled and crouched down as Rosie thrust the buttercups under her chin. A golden glow reflected on her skin.

‘Y’do, Miss!’ shouted Rosie in triumph. ‘Yes, y’do. Y’like butter.’

She ran off to make a daisy chain and Lily sighed at her innocence.

‘’Scuse me, Sergeant.’ It was PC Dewhirst, looking anxious. ‘We need to open the road t’traffic.’

The spell was broken and Tom stood up. He had moved smoothly back into professional mode. ‘I had better go.’ He glanced at his wristwatch. ‘We can talk later.’ Lily handed him his jacket. ‘Keep it for now,’ he offered.

‘No, I’ll collect my coat and bag from school,’ she said.

Tom slipped on his jacket and smiled. ‘Fine, I’ll be back soon.’

He set off briskly back down the High Street and Lily walked slowly towards the school gate.

She was unaware that she was being watched.

A few minutes earlier a car had parked on the outskirts of the village outside St Mary’s Church and a tall, fair-haired man had got out and looked around him. He stretched. It had been a long journey.

Although he was a stranger to Ragley he had studied the various locations on an Ordnance Survey map. He knew where the village hall stood, the local public house and, in particular, the school. The day of the Coronation had seemed an ideal time to visit. There would be crowds and he could stand in the shadows and watch. He walked along the Morton road, looking wistfully at families as he passed them. They appeared happy, relaxed and content. In the distance he could hear music and laughter. There was a shady alleyway next to the village Post Office and he paused there and lit up a cigarette.

Then, when he saw what he was looking for, he watched silently from the shadows.

Lily put on her coat and picked up her bag from the staff-room. The school was silent apart from the creak of the entrance door as it swung on its hinges. As she closed the staff-room door and stepped out into the gloomy corridor, a hand gripped her shoulder and she screamed.