‘That’s good news,’ said Vera. ‘Thank you. It’s always a busy evening.’

‘She says Mrs Clutterbuck is providing soup.’

‘That’s right,’ said Vera, ‘she always does. No doubt she will have her Saturday assistant with her.’

‘Nora Pratt?’ said Lily. ‘I’ve spoken to her – a lovely girl.’

‘It’s such a pity she can’t pronounce the letter “R”,’ said Vera.

John looked up. ‘Yes, she was always like that – nothing we could do about it.’

Vera closed her newspaper and looked at Lily. ‘When I was in the Tea Rooms, Mrs Clutterbuck mentioned you were going to the cinema with Sergeant Feather.’

It was a mini-bombshell.

Lily’s cheeks flushed slightly and John stopped reading but didn’t look up. ‘I didn’t realize it was open knowledge,’ said Lily. ‘It was only yesterday I said I would go.’

‘And where were you at the time?’

‘Outside the Pharmacy.’

Vera nodded. ‘That explains it. Was the door open? If so, Mr Grinchley would have heard, so it will have been all round the village in no time.’

‘I see,’ said Lily quietly.

‘Anyway, do have a lovely time,’ said Vera, ‘and I’ll see you tomorrow.’ She picked up her dinner-money tin, tidied her desk and collected her coat from the passageway that linked the staff-room to the office.

John was very quiet, so Lily left him to it and walked into the hall to prepare for the afternoon music lesson.

Over the years John Pruett had scraped together a large collection of musical instruments and the Friday afternoon music lesson was always a treat for the children of both classes. They all assembled in the hall and the instruments were distributed among the older children while the younger ones were encouraged to clap their hands. For John it was a way of ending the school week in a positive way and, literally, on a high note.

However, a pattern had developed regarding the allocation of instruments, with the boys always playing the drums and cymbals while the less popular triangles were left for the girls. Lily was determined to change this but had to overcome stiff resistance.

‘But girls don’t play drums, Miss,’ protested Dave Robinson.

‘They do now, David,’ said Lily firmly and Winnie Pickles proceeded to show everyone why.

There was no pianist, but fortunately Lily had a sweet voice and she sang the first verse of ‘The Skye Boat Song’. Within minutes the children knew the words. ‘Over the sea to Skye’ they sang with gusto.

Billy Icklethwaite put up his hand. ‘Ah saw t’sea when we went t’Bridlington, Miss.’ He was full of excitement at the memory. ‘It went on for ever – right far out –’til it got to t’sky.’

It was at moments like this that Lily felt she had the best job in the world. Teach well, she had been told during her training, and you will touch lives for ever.