‘Coffee! But ah only dwink tea. Mrs Clutte’buck says coffee is an Amewican dwink and not for us in England.’

‘Well, let’s be adventurous, shall we? As actresses we need to experience new things.’

‘Vewy well,’ said Nora, ‘ah’ll twy some.’

Agatha spooned the Nescafé into two china cups and poured on boiling water, then a little milk. ‘Now, let’s add a tiny bit of sugar as this is a special occasion,’ she said, enjoying the sense of suspense.

Nora sipped it carefully. ‘Ah weally like it,’ she said, her eyes bright in wonderment.

‘I thought you would.’

‘Mrs Clutte’buck says it won’t catch on an’ we’ll always be a nation of tea dwinkers.’

‘But what do you think?’

‘Ah think she would be sad if she knew ah was dwinking coffee.’

‘That may be, but we don’t have to be sad now.’

‘All wight.’

‘Remember, Nora, it’s the drink of the future.’

And Nora never forgot.

It was late on Saturday and darkness had fallen. In Laurel Cottage Freddie was playing on the hearthrug with his toy train and Lily was curled up on the sofa reading Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. She looked at Freddie with affection and smiled.

Meanwhile, Florence was reading a book on rug-making with the intention of undertaking an ambitious project to make a deep-pile carpet. It appeared there was a company in Ossett who supplied all you required, including a piece of canvas, a large quantity of wool and a rug hook.

Everyone was warm and content and the radio was playing the number-one record, Perry Como’s ‘Don’t Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes’.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

‘Oh dear, who can that be?’ groaned Florence.

‘I’ll go,’ said Lily.

She opened the door and there stood Tom. ‘I thought you would like these to share over the weekend with your mother and Freddie.’ He handed over a large box of chocolates. ‘Couldn’t resist. There were only two left, so I bought these for you and one for my mother.’

Lily held the box in surprise. ‘You shouldn’t have, Tom!’

He lowered his voice. ‘It was also to say thank you for being part of my life.’

She stretched up and kissed him tenderly. ‘Would you like to come in?’

He smiled. ‘I would love to, but I ought to get back home. I’m expected.’

As Lily watched him drive away she wished her life could have been different, and that night when she lay in her bed there were no sweet dreams. All that was left was a trembling peace.

Chapter Eleven

Do Angels Have Wings?