The children tore the packages open and whooped with delight. For Peggy there was a very pretty baby doll with a ceramic face and long hair and eyes that opened and shut, while Thomas and Daisy found themselves the proud new owners of a wooden train and a pretty little china tea set.

‘Looking at that pile of presents you could be some time.’ Sunday grinned at the two women. ‘So, while you help them open them, I’m going to seek refuge in the kitchen with John and Cook and get a cup of tea.’

She had just entered the hallway when the front door suddenly opened letting in a gust of snow, and Sunday gasped with joy.

‘Livvy! Oh, my love, what are you doing here? This is the best surprise I could have had!’

Livvy giggled as she stamped the snow from her boots and took off her overcoat. ‘I didn’t know I was coming myself until last night,’ she admitted as she hurried over to give her mother a hug. ‘My boss gave me a forty-eight-hour pass, but I wasn’t sure if the trains would be running, then luckily, I found out that one of the RAF chaps at our base was going to spend Christmas with his parents in Leicester, so he gave me a lift.’

Kathy was overjoyed. After all they had gone through during the past year this was the best Christmas present she could have wished for and she intended to make the most of every second of it.

‘Come along.’ Grabbing Livvy’s arm she hauled her towards the kitchen. ‘Let’s go and surprise everyone. They’ll be so thrilled to see you.’

After all the presents were exchanged and they had eaten a hearty breakfast, Livvy and Kathy set to helping Cook peel the Brussels sprouts and carrots they were having for dinner and the atmosphere was light.

‘Any news from Giles?’ Kathy asked as they sat at the kitchen table with the pile of vegetable peelings growing between them.

‘Not as yet.’ Livvy’s pretty face clouded. She had sent numerous letters and two parcels to the prison camp but had heard nothing in return, which worried her dreadfully. They were all aware of some of the wicked camps the Germans had set up. However, when she had expressed her concerns about Giles, the officers at her base had assured her that not hearing from him was nothing to worry about. The prisoners were not always supplied with pens or paper they had told her, so Livvy had decided that she would include some in the next parcel she sent.

‘And how is David?’ Livvy asked to try and take her mind off Giles.