‘Hello, Harriet,’ said a man’s voice behind me as we stood in the queue for tea. ‘Rose tells me you’re going to ask about joining us until the end of term.’

‘Mr Matthews,’ said Dolly, ‘I thought I heard your baritone somewhere near the back. What’s this you’re saying about Hattie?’

Rose waved at me from where she was handing out colouring sheets and crayons to keep the youngsters occupied, and I shook my head in response.

‘I think I’m right,’ Mr Matthews, the headteacher, continued with a frown, ‘aren’t I?’

‘I did talk to Rose last night about the possibility of volunteering for a few days,’ I began to explain.

‘Well that’s wonderful,’ interrupted Dolly, her cheeks positively glowing. ‘Why ever didn’t you tell me?’

‘Because I still haven’t made up my mind,’ I rushed on. ‘I know Rose said that all my checks and things would still be up to date, but . . .’

‘We really could do with an extra pair of hands, couldn’t we, Dolly?’ Mr Matthews quickly cut in. ‘We’ve had a new boy join us recently and he’s diabetic so Mr Patterson’s teaching assistant spends quite a bit of her time out of the classroom now. Some extra help, especially in the run-up to Christmas, would be very much appreciated. I still haven’t worked out how we’re going to cope without Dolly next term.’

The poor man really did look genuinely worried and I knew from some of what Dolly had told me that school budgets were being squeezed and cut all the time. That said, I still wasn’t prepared to say yes until I’d given offering my services – or should I say Rose offering my services – some more serious thought.

‘Are you waiting for tea, dear?’

I hadn’t realised I was holding up the queue.

‘Yes,’ I said, ‘sorry. Can I have two cups, please?’

‘I’ll see you both tomorrow then,’ said Mr Matthews, moving off to speak to the vicar before I had a chance to correct him.

‘Now,’ said Dolly. ‘That really will be a treat.’

Rose somehow managed to slip away every time I got close enough to tell her that I still hadn’t made up my mind and with Dolly looking happier and healthier than I’d seen her since my arrival, I didn’t have the heart to make a fuss.

‘I think it’s about time we were heading back, don’t you?’ she said, after finishing her third cup of church tea. ‘It’s going to be a busy week, what with the school fair happening on Friday afternoon. I daresay we could both do with an early night.’