‘I know. I can’t wait, and if they don’t send us to that area, I will find a way to visit him, once we are in France. It feels so strange – having been in love with him for so long, and then to find out by letter that he felt the same, and not being able to tell him of my love.’

‘Your time will come; I know it will.’

Realizing she was putting a dampener on Marjie’s happiness, Sibbie made a huge effort to giggle and to make Marjie do so. Mimicking her Aunt Betsy, she said, ‘Eeh, it’ll be grand, and you won’t see owt of me for a week!’

Marjie laughed out loud, her happiness shining from her once more.

As Sibbie went up the stairs, the thought came to her, as it had before, just how much courage Marjie had. Her happiness must be bittersweet, knowing that this short time she had with Wills would soon come to an end and they would be parted, for an unknown, but probably very long time.

The same thought was going through Marjie’s mind, as part of her heart was heavy with all she had to bear, and for her dear friend; and at knowing that this time she had with Wills was so limited. But she was determined to fill whatever time they could spend together with happy memories, to sustain her when they were apart.

The beautiful song from Vera Lynn, ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’, filled the room as Marjie went back in. A welcome draught wafted through the French doors, billowing the curtains. ‘I thought the room was getting a little stuffy, darling. It’s quite a clear night, after all the fog we’ve had lately. If you are not too cold, I thought we would dance under the stars.’

A feeling of euphoria surged through Marjie. Going into Wills’s open arms, she began to sway to the music with him. ‘I would love to dance outside – I don’t care how cold it is.’

Wills switched off the lights and the fire’s glow lit the room in a flickering way. ‘That won’t be seen from outside, so we won’t get into trouble with the air-raid wardens.’

Holding hands, they went through the curtains, careful to close them afterwards. Wills guided Marjie in the darkness.

‘There’s no moon visible tonight, as it is a new moon. When it does show from behind the clouds, it will only be a faint impression, so there’s no danger of any bombing, and that means few air-raid wardens will be about.’

Marjie giggled, feeling like a naughty child. Then Wills took her in his arms and, to the now-muffled strains of Vera’s beautiful voice, they danced.