‘This is nowt to what Eddie looks like,’ Bobby growled smugly. ‘I made his nose bleed an’ he squealed like a stuck pig. I bet he won’t call me ma that again.’

Once more, Edith didn’t know what to say, so taking Peggy’s hand she marched them along in silence, her lips set in a grim line.

An hour later after milk and biscuits and having his eye tended to with a lump of raw liver, which Cook swore would take the swelling down, the children pottered off to find Giles, while Edith sat down in the kitchen to repair Bobby’s trousers.

‘I can’t believe I’m having to patch them after the first time he’s worn them,’ she told Cook regretfully. ‘An’ he looked so smart when he set off fer school this mornin’.’

‘Aye, well that’s lads fer yer,’ Cook replied. ‘My two were just the same at that age; always into scraps, they were. But what was the fight about?’

‘It seems that one of the evacuees that lived near Bobby called his ma a whore.’

‘Really?’ Cook’s eyes stretched wide. ‘An’ from bits you’ve picked up from the children there could happen to be some truth in it, eh?’

Edith shrugged. ‘There could be,’ she admitted. ‘And I have to say that I’m a bit disappointed she hasn’t bothered writin’ to ’em again. You’d think she’d want to know how they were gettin’ on, wouldn’t you?’

‘If their dad is as bad as he sounds it could be that she’s glad they’re out o’ the way somewhere safe.’ Cook shook her head. ‘Whatever the reason, I’ve caught Bobby lookin’ for the postman every mornin’, poor little tyke. I’ve noticed he rarely mentions his dad but to hear him you’d think his ma wore a halo.’

She got on with what she was doing then, preparing one of Giles’s favourites – steak and ale pie. After all, she reasoned, he wouldn’t be there for her to spoil for much longer and the thought made tears sting at the back of her eyes.

At that moment Livvy was just entering the stable where she found Giles talking to the children.

‘Giles is goin’ to go an’ start his trainin’ next Wednesday,’ Bobby informed her excitedly. Giles was fast becoming his hero.

‘Is he now?’ Livvy suddenly felt as if someone had thumped her in the stomach, although her voice was level as she went on, ‘I bet you wish you could go with him and learn to fly aeroplanes too, don’t you, Bobby?’

‘Not ’alf!’ Bobby’s eyes took on a dreamy look, until Peggy grasped his hand and dragged him off towards the orchard, leaving the two young adults alone.

‘So … you’ll soon be off then?’