“My dear, I’m sure things can’t be as bad as all that.”

“I dare say you wouldn’t think them bad. It’s just that I’m being sent away tomorrow to work on a canteen. It isn’t that I don’t want to work, I do. I’ve worked like a slave all the war, but I’m scared to go away from home. I’ve never been away from home before.”

Sheila at all times induced a wish to pat in people who looked at her. Dick had the strongest wish to pat now. “Poor little kid,” he thought, “this war is tough on these nervous, home-loving girls.”

“Perhaps it won’t be so bad when you get there.”

“I expect you’re right, everybody says that. I think perhaps I hate going more than most people would. I was always shy, and then we had a very bad time when London was bombed. I’ve been extra nervous since then.” His face was frill of pity. That was the sort of story he hated to hear. War was a man’s job, women and children should have no place in it. The thought of bombs on frail little things like this girl made him sick.

“That was tough. I haven’t seen London yet. I’m only just home from abroad. My office was bombed out, and my poor old partner killed.”

“Oh, I know my story isn’t any worse than anybody else’s. I just seem to be sillier than other people. Actually, I dare say you’re right and I shan’t mind it so much when I get there; it’s just being scared at going.” She dabbed her eyes. “Don’t think me an awful cry baby; I think I’m crying because I’m hungry. I went out just after breakfast and I missed my lunch.”

Dick looked at his watch. He grudged any minute that could be spent with Barbara wasted away from her. But he did not know if she was home yet, and she would be the first to say he was a brute if he left this little girl crying and hungry, and didn’t offer her tea. He patted Sheila’s shoulder.

“We’ll soon put that straight. I’ll go and order tea. You dry those tears and put that face right.”

Sheila watched him out of the corner of her eye, then, as he disappeared behind the roses, she gave a pleased wriggle and took her powder out of her bag.