It was the frozen dawn of Friday, 6 February when Lily sat in William Featherstone’s bus as it trundled along the back road to Ragley village. A pale sun had risen in the east and a line of golden light touched the distant hills. Lily stared out at the monochrome snowscape and thought about her life. Once again she opened the handbag on her lap and studied the old black-and-white photograph. Then she smiled and turned her attentions to the day ahead.

As they passed Coe Farm, trails of wood smoke made drifting diagonal patterns in the sullen sky above a land scoured of life by the bitter winds blowing in from Siberia. A familiar police car stood on the forecourt of Pratt’s garage, where Tom Feather was in conversation with Victor beside the single pump. As the bus went by Tom turned to seek out Lily behind the misty windows and waved. She responded with a smile. Their romance had continued to blossom, even though they were both busy with their work, but even so a nagging doubt crossed Lily’s mind. Too fast … too soon, she thought as the bus turned into the High Street.

It pulled up outside the General Stores where a crowd had gathered. A large painted sign outside the shop was causing great excitement and Lily stepped carefully over the frozen forecourt to read it for herself. She smiled. Perhaps this was really the beginning of the end of post-war austerity. The poster read:

SWEET DREAMS

Your dreams have come true!
Sweet rationing has ended.

Sweets will be on sale from 7.30 a.m.

Saturday, 7th February

Prudence Golightly

Sweet rationing had ended officially on Thursday, 5 February, but the supply to small villages in North Yorkshire had taken a day or two longer. Also, Prudence thought that Saturday would be her best day for a bumper sale. Chocolate, nougat sticks and liquorice strips were on her list and she looked out of her shop window at the sea of eager faces. A busy day lay in store.

Deirdre Coe was an early customer. She slapped a penny ha’penny on the counter and picked up a copy of the Daily Mirror with its headline ‘Sweet Buying Orgy Begins – night queues’.

‘Ah’ll be in t’morrow,’ said Deirdre. ‘My Stanley will be wantin’ a box o’ chocolates.’

Before Prudence could reply, she walked out. The pig farmer’s sister didn’t feel like wasting her breath on the tiny shopkeeper.

Betty Cuthbertson and Vera Evans were at the back of the shop and had seen Deirdre’s swift departure. ‘For two pins ah’d give ’er a piece o’ my mind,’ said Betty. She glanced in Vera’s direction. ‘But as ah’m a Christian ah’ll ’old m’tongue.’

Vera gave an enigmatic smile and kept her feelings to herself.