‘It’s very kind of him,’ she said cautiously as she watched the twins pottering happily about. ‘And John is right, we would all be safer there and the twins would have so much more room to play. But …’ She paused. ‘I suppose it would just feel strange being back there when it isn’t really our home anymore. Not that I’m not grateful for the offer,’ she added hastily.

‘I know exactly what you mean,’ Sunday agreed, much to Kathy’s relief. ‘I’ll thank him but tell him we’re happy here for now, shall I?’

Kathy nodded, hoping they were making the right decision.

As January came to a close, and much to her relief, Livvy’s training had finally come to an end and the girls were waiting for the results of the test they had taken to see if they were to be accepted for the job of working the barrage balloons. There had been a lot more to it than Livvy had expected. No one would guess when they saw them flying like great grey elephants in the sky just how hard it was to get them airborne, nor how heavy and dangerous they could be for the people who operated them. Of the five of them only four would be accepted for the job and she hoped that she would be one of them.

Just then a female officer stepped into the hut, clipboard in hand, and they all instantly stood.

‘Right.’ The woman consulted her clipboard. ‘Meadows.’ Amanda instantly stepped forward with a smug smile on her face. ‘Blake.’ Susan was the next. ‘Shaw and Wiseman.’ Pauline and Nell took their place next to the others, casting a sympathetic glance at Livvy, who clearly had not been chosen as one of the balloon operatives. ‘All go and report for duty,’ she ordered them. ‘And you, Branning, come with me.’

With a sinking heart Livvy managed a smile at her friends before following the officer from the hut with a glum look on her face. It would be just her luck to be chosen to work in the NAAFI, she thought miserably as they picked their way through the snow.

Once they had reached the office that was located at the end of the huts, the officer ushered her inside and Livvy stood before the desk, her back straight and her hands clasped behind her back, while the other woman took a seat.

‘Branning, it’s come to our attention that of the five of you hoping to become balloon operatives you were the quickest to pick the job up.’

Livvy was more confused than ever now. If that was the case, why had she not been chosen for the job?