Her big announcement had been so abrupt it should’ve made him pay attention. She’d not waited for a quiet moment after lunch; she’d walked up and informed the Mayhoods while they’d been reviewing all their parti sketches at the plan chest. Progress had been fairly static for the past few weeks and Mr Mayhood had become exasperated with the project. He’d been pacing in the hallway every hour, going off to lie down in the parlour with the curtains shut, banging his claw-hand upon the tabletop when he was unconvinced by what he’d drawn and sighing heavily until his face turned ruddy. Ever since the documents had reached them from the Battersea committee – a ream of pages that the Mayhoods had been calling ‘the conditions’ – Charlie had been hearing nothing but the scratch scratch scratch of ink pens in the draughting room. Joyce had sidled up to Mr Mayhood from her station by the window and declared, ‘I don’t know if it’s the best time to be asking, but I’ve been invited out this evening for a drink. I’d like to go, if it’s all right with you. It’s with a fella I’ve been getting friendly with the past few months. Would that be something I could do?’ Seeing her endure the awkwardness of asking for permission had been quite a new experience for Charlie and he’d found it almost touching. Mr Mayhood had continued spreading out the parti sketches on the plan chest, circling around them with his specs clutched in his hand.

‘You don’t need my blessing, Joyce,’ was the response, ‘and you can make your own decisions what to do in your free time. Enjoy yourself.’

‘All right. Thanks,’ she’d said. ‘I will.’

And though Charlie hadn’t said a word to her, he must’ve looked discouraging, because she’d frowned at him as she went past. ‘No one asked you, mouse,’ she’d said. ‘Get back to work.’

Florence, with the easy manner that she had for soothing tension, had gone over to his sister’s desk and perched beside her on the stool. ‘How dashing is he?’

‘Average,’ she’d said.

‘But interesting?’

‘Not sure yet.’

‘I thought you said you two were getting friendly.’

‘Only chatting in his place of work. It’s not the same. That’s why I’m going for a drink with him. To see if there’s a future in it.’

‘Is he going to pick you up?’

‘We’re meeting in the village. He’s not having my address until he’s earned it.’

‘Good for you, Joyce. Sounds as though you’ve got him nicely trained already.’

‘I just hope he’s not too boring. I’m all right with ordinary, but boring I can’t stand.’

‘Yes, I know exactly what you mean.’