‘I hate you going.’ She had promised herself she wouldn’t cry. She didn’t want his last memory of her to be in tears but it was taking all her strength not to break down.

The platform had been virtually empty but now it was filling up in readiness for the next train, and Rose saw a couple of women she knew saying goodbye to men in uniform. This war, this wretched war.

‘When do you think you’ll be able to get leave again?’

She’d asked the same question in various forms several times and he replied as he always did. ‘I don’t know, my love.’ Things were rapidly getting worse. Belgium was now under the control of the German army and every day the news seemed dire. But it was no good saying this, and so he added, ‘As soon as I possibly can, I promise you.’ He knew that with the flood of young volunteers who hadn’t known one end of a rifle from the other when they’d joined up, experienced officers were needed on all fronts. It wasn’t going to be any easier when they brought conscription in, which they were going to have to do sooner or later. At least the volunteers, rose-coloured glasses or no, had wanted to fight the Germans even though few of them had had any idea what that entailed.

‘I’ll write to you every day,’ Rose whispered.

‘And I’ll write to you but don’t worry if you don’t hear at any point. Sometimes there’s a delay in getting the letters away and it might be that you get two at once.’

‘I don’t mind as long as you keep writing. I’m going to miss you so much.’

‘And I you.’ He kissed her again, oblivious to the glances from other folk. ‘It’s your letters that keep me going, my sweet. And try not to worry, my darling. I’ll be all right. I promise.’

They both knew it was a promise he might not be able to keep and as they heard the train approaching, Rose pressed closer still, suddenly frantic. ‘I love you, I love you, I love you.’

The train slowed down and stopped, doors opened, and Alexander stood up, holding his bag with one hand while he kept his arm round her with the other. ‘Look after the boys and Betsy for me,’ he said gently before kissing her again, but a swift goodbye kiss this time. ‘I’m carrying you with me in my heart, you know that, don’t you. I love you, my darling girl.’

She had broken her promise to herself, the tears streaming down her face, and could only hold on to him one more moment before she let him go, unable to speak.