‘Oh yes,’ said Doris, replacing the ash tray with a clean one, as the president of the Ragley Women’s Institute was a chain smoker.

‘I was just saying to Joyce that our husbands did their bit for the country, Joyce’s husband as an army doctor and my George as a captain in the West Yorkshire regiment.’

Deirdre looked up from her custard cream and glowered in their direction. ‘Well, my Stanley couldn’t go off t’fight. ’E ’as a ’eart condition an’ t’country needed farmers, so Mr Churchill said.’

‘It didn’t stop him getting drunk like he did on Coronation Day,’ said Wilhelmena pointedly. ‘It was all round the village the state he was in.’

Deirdre stayed quiet. Stan had kept the events of that day to himself.

Meanwhile, in the staff-room Lily was beginning to think there was more to Valerie Flint than met the eye. Her views of education were particularly perceptive and Lily was warming to this outspoken lady.

‘Before the war only ten per cent of children at state schools left with any qualifications and most left at fourteen, so the situation today is clearly better,’ said Valerie.

‘I agree,’ said Lily, ‘but we have a long way to go to encourage them to have a love of learning, particularly with the stock of reading books we have available.’

‘That’s why I insist upon the children in John’s class writing their own stories and we read them out at the end of the day.’

‘I do exactly the same,’ said Lily, greatly encouraged.

‘Also, I tend to avoid the books he suggests for class story time.’

‘What are those?’ asked Lily.

‘Richmal Crompton’s William stories, where the mother doesn’t cook or do housework or prepare meals. Then there are the Jennings stories – he and his friend, Derbyshire, live in a parents-free world at a boarding school.’

‘Yes, I’ve heard those on the radio,’ said Lily.

‘Also there’s Billy Bunter in his public school and, of course, there’s Enid Blyton’s Famous Five.’

Lily was surprised. ‘Enid Blyton is very popular.’

‘Yes, but her characters live in a middle-class world. During a time of food rationing the children enjoy ham sandwiches, strawberries and cream, and drink copious amounts of ginger beer.’

‘You have a point,’ conceded Lily.

‘Also, the police are often portrayed as bumbling simpletons and it is left to the children to solve problems and catch the crooks.’

Valerie sat back and gave Lily a penetrating stare. ‘Your Sergeant Feather wouldn’t approve.’

‘He’s just a friend, Valerie.’

‘That’s good to hear.’