‘I’m a nurse, Billy. What I saw and heard in the First World War would curl your hair. Oh, it’s already curly.’ They were off again. Ella laughed so much that she had a sudden urge to pee. ‘Excuse me, Billy – middle-age syndrome, I’ve got to go behind the hedge.’

At this, she thought Billy would have a seizure, he laughed so much.

When she emerged he had his arms open. Nothing about the gesture frightened or alarmed Ella. Billy was like a best friend, the little brother that she’d never had, and she went into his arms willingly. ‘I just needed a hug, Ella. Ta, for today. I think this is another soldier whose life you’ve saved.’

She looked up at him. ‘Oh, Billy, you weren’t . . .’

‘Aye, I was two minutes from jumping, when you and Arnie appeared. I was so angry at seeing you. But now I don’t knaw if I’ll ever be able to thank you.’

‘You can thank me by agreeing to give Rosie away.’

‘Me? Shouldn’t that be Angus?’

‘No. With no father to do the job, it should be the eldest brother – and that’s you.’

‘I’d be honoured. Aye, I would. Eeh, fancy that.’

‘My demands aren’t over yet, Billy. I want you to give your ma a big hug and tell her how you missed her, and how thoughts of her got you through everything you went through. Don’t let her have lost a son as well as two daughters, Billy.’

‘Aye, I will. I’ve so wanted to, Ella. Now, any more demands? By, you’re sounding like our Daisy – you’re not a bit like I thought you were. I don’t mind telling you, I wanted you all gone and to be left in peace, but now I can’t bear you to go.’

Ella came out of his arms. ‘That’s a lovely thing to say, Billy, and I hope you’ll visit us in France. We’d love that. And so would your Aunt Flors. She’s lovely; you’ll meet her soon. She’s always wanted to meet you.’

‘Aye, I don’t knaw why, but all I heard were bad things about me da, so I didn’t want to meet any of his kin.’

Ella thought this sad. And that maybe, if everyone hadn’t been so keen to see his father in him and to judge him as such, Billy could have shone as the real person he was. ‘Billy, I have an idea. We’re going to need a lot of help to get up and running again. Why don’t you come over to France for a while with us and give us a hand? You’ll love it there.’

‘Eeh, Ella. Ta. That sounds just what I’m needing. I heard from our Sibbie that the sun’s allus shining and the sea is as blue as blue.’