Half an hour later Ruby walked slowly to the village green, deep in thought, and sat down on the bench under the weeping willow tree.

All was quiet until, above her head, a skein of honking geese flew in perfect arrow formation across a gunmetal sky over the school bell tower and into the distance. She watched as they disappeared over the horizon and envied their freedom.

Vera was coming out of her meeting in the village hall when she caught sight of Ruby sitting alone. Ruby looked tired and her eyes were red with tears once again.

‘Hello, Ruby,’ said Vera. ‘Is there something wrong?’

‘It’s ’appened,’ said Ruby.

‘What has happened?’

‘Ah’ve fallen again, Miss Evans,’ explained Ruby. She looked concerned and chewed her knuckles.

‘Fallen?’

‘Yes, ah’m expectin’ m’second.’

‘I see,’ said Vera evenly. ‘And did you want another child, Ruby?’

‘Not speshully, but ah’d no choice.’

‘No choice?’ It was Vera’s turn to look concerned.

‘Well ah were allus told it were men what took care o’ that side o’ things.’

Vera frowned. ‘Who told you that?’

‘M’mother, Miss Evans.’

Vera was aware that access to contraception was extremely limited. ‘Well I wish you well, Ruby, and do come to me if you need anything.’

Ruby couldn’t bring to mind anything the tall, elegant spinster could do for her, but she recognized the gesture. ‘Thank you kindly, Miss Evans,’ she said and set off for the butcher’s to request a scrag end and a few spare bones to make some stock.

Vera stared after her and said quietly, ‘There is surely a future hope for you, and hope will not be cut off.’

If her brother had been there she wondered if he would have added ‘Proverbs, chapter twenty-three, verse eighteen’ … but she doubted it.

It was six o’clock and Agnes had set off for the weekly Bingo session in the village hall while Ruby was preparing Ronnie’s evening meal. She had a large cast-iron pan with a wire frying basket inside. It was perfect for cooking chips and, in the butcher’s shop, Mr Piercy had told her that if you saved up enough lard and cooking fat you could make a healthy meal. Ruby had done just that and she shook the basket and smiled. Ronnie would be pleased when he came home.

The radio was on and she was humming along to Vera Lynn’s bestselling record ‘The Homing Waltz’ when he came in smelling of beer and smoking a cigarette. ‘What’s f’tea?’ he shouted.

‘A bit o’ meat from Mr Piercy an’ some chips. He said our Andy needed feedin’ up.’

‘Well ’urry up – ah’m starvin’.’

Ruby sighed. ‘Can y’light a fire, Ronnie? It’s comin’ in cold again.’