Livvy gulped as she tried to take it all in. Bobby had been just a little boy and to die like that … all alone. She shuddered, then making a decision she told him, ‘I’m going to go and see my officer and see if she’ll grant me some compassionate leave. If I can go tomorrow, I’ll be there for the funeral. I have a feeling everyone will need some support. They were all so fond of the children, especially Edith.’

He nodded in agreement as a picture of Bobby playing with the horses back in the stables at Treetops flashed in front of his eyes. ‘Do you know what, I reckon I might try to do the same,’ he said. ‘It’s not a good time when we’re so many pilots down, admittedly, but it’s worth a shot. I’ll go and see my flight officer too and, if I do get leave granted, we could perhaps travel home together? Meet me back in the canteen in an hour so we can find out how we got on.’

An hour later, as arranged, they met in the canteen. By that time Giles had not been to bed for over eighteen hours and his eyes were gritty and sore from lack of sleep. He had only come back from a mission three hours before to find the letter waiting for him and after that sleep had been impossible.

‘I don’t know how I wangled it, but I managed to get a forty-eight-hour pass, it will mean I have to set off back here straight after the funeral but at least I’ll be there to show my respects and offer some support. What about you?’ Giles asked Livvy.

‘Same here,’ she said with relief. She could only imagine how upset her mother and the women back at home must be. And, although she wished it weren’t under these circumstances, she had to admit she was looking forward to going home and seeing her family. ‘I’ve arranged a jeep to run me to the station at eight in the morning. The train leaves at nine so you can come with me, if you like. But now why don’t you go and try to get some rest. You look awful!’

‘Thanks.’ He grinned wryly. ‘You sure know how to make a chap feel good about himself.’

Despite the awful news she found herself smiling. Rather than finding him arrogant anymore she was fast discovering that he actually had a very dry sense of humour.

‘Don’t suppose I could tempt you to come and bunk down with me?’ he teased.