‘Rudolph.’

Freddie grinned. ‘Like the reindeer?’

‘Yes, like the Christmas reindeer,’ replied Rudi. ‘But my friends call me Rudi.’

Freddie nodded sagely. ‘I’m Frederick, but my friends call me Freddie.’

‘I know,’ said Rudi quietly.

Tom had finished his shift and was showing off his new car to PC Harry Dewhirst. He had parked outside York railway station alongside a ‘Go by Train’ poster. ‘Only works out at a penny three farthings a mile,’ it read. ‘Quick, comfortable and convenient.’

Harry tapped a finger on the metal plate of the advertisement. ‘Y’won’t need British Rail now, Serge’, wi’ y’new Austin Seven.’

Tom beamed with pleasure. ‘You take our car back to the station – I’m driving home in this.’

As he climbed into the smart leather driver’s seat he knew where he wanted to go first. He headed north out of the city.

Twenty minutes later Tom slowed as he drove down Kirkby Steepleton High Street. Fifty yards from Laurel Cottage he stopped under the shade of a copse of sycamore trees. He could see a tall stranger speaking to Lily by her garden gate.

Something was not quite right.

He turned off the engine and sat quietly, watching the scene that unfolded before him.

Lily stood at the gate at the front of the house with Rudi and Freddie.

‘It’s your bedtime now, Freddie,’ she said. ‘Say goodbye to Rudi.’

‘’Bye, Rudi,’ said Freddie.

‘Thank you for showing me how to play cricket,’ said Rudi.

Freddie looked up eagerly. ‘I play after school on the village cricket field. You can come and see me if you like.’

Rudi smiled, but said nothing. He stretched out his arms to the boy and looked at Lily as if seeking permission. She gave a brief nod and he picked up Freddie and for a brief moment held him close. ‘Be good, Freddie.’

The boy ran off back into the house, still clutching his cricket bat.

Finally, Lily and Rudi faced each other and he put his hands on her shoulders. A wisp of her hair shivered in the light breeze and he tucked it tenderly behind her ear.

‘Goodbye, Lily. Thank you for letting me see Freddie.’

‘It was important you had the opportunity. You can see he is happy here.’

‘I see that now. I did wonder.’

‘Good luck with your new life in Germany, Rudi. I hope all goes well for you.’

There was silence – the moment of parting had arrived.

Finally Rudi stepped closer and hugged Lily tenderly. ‘It was good between us.’

‘Yes, it was, but that’s in the past. I loved you once, Rudi, but that was the love of a young impressionable girl. I’m a woman now and I understand more about life. We each have a life to live – but not together. It’s taken years to heal, but I’m not the girl you once loved.’

‘I know,’ he said and kissed her forehead.