“We like people to think we do; makes us feel rather dogs, you know. If anybody comes on leave it’s taken for granted they’ll go there. We dig our elbows into their ribs and we wink and we say, ‘You’ll be goin’ into town dancin’, shouldn’t wonder!’ We don’t say that because we necessarily think they’ll be doing anything of the sort, but we’re paying their manhood a compliment. They may have left Worsingfold mere boys, but now they’re in the Army or the Navy or the Air Force they’re men.”

There was a wealth of understanding and sympathy for the village point of view in his tone, and as well an allying of himself with it. Janet felt her town background.

“I’ve always lived in London, and in a suburban district at that. I don’t understand country people; it’s a pity, I’d like to.”

“You will, they’re easy. If you listen and watch you’ll soon pick up our ways and thoughts. We’re a bit careful to begin with when we meet London folk. We know you for a lot of wasteful people, who eat out of tins, and throw half of everything away, and we know you’re clever and know a lot of what’s going on behind the scenes. You might have met the Prime Minister, and like as not you’ve got friends in the ministries. I’ve not mixed with the village much lately, I’ve been too busy, but I’d take a bet that your family have been the cause of a lot of head wagging.”

“Not if they expect waste, or tins. Mother hates both.”

Donald laughed.

“Very suspicious in a Londoner; we probably think she’s a German. Excepting that young Sheila runs true to form, that may have saved your bacon.” He sounded his horn to move a woman with a perambulator off the crown of the road. “Anna, my wife, belonged to the Women’s Institute, and she used to say they treated her as if she had been grown in a greenhouse, to be admired, but never planted in the back garden.”

Janet felt it was unusual for him to talk of Anna, and perhaps good for him.

“Iris is always talking about her. She must have been an interesting person.”

Donald’s face set in grim, sad lines. He seemed to have forgotten Janet, but to be speaking his memories out loud.