‘Oh, I still have to keep pinching myself to make myself believe that he’s alive,’ Livvy said ecstatically after her mother had told her the good news. ‘I shall be on the train to see him this very afternoon. I’ve already cleared it with my boss. I should get into Plymouth this evening then I’ll find somewhere to stay, and I can be at the hospital first thing in the morning. And, Mum, be sure to tell John I’ll ring him just as soon as I come out of there to let him know how he is.’

‘All right, darling,’ Sunday said, and then hastily as an afterthought. ‘And oh, it might be best if you don’t tell Giles just yet that his grandfather is ill. He might not be in a very good state himself after all he’s been through and we don’t want to worry him and make him worse.’

‘Of course,’ Livvy agreed before hastily hanging up, eager to start her journey. It would be a trek from her base and would involve a number of train changes but thankfully they were running smoothly again now and even if they hadn’t been, Sunday knew that her daughter would have travelled twice the distance if necessary.

As the train sped across country, Livvy found herself sitting amongst many men who were being demobbed. They were easily recognisable as they were all wearing the standard demob suits that the army issued. Double-breasted, three-piece in either dark blue or grey. Almost all of them were returning home to their families and the atmosphere on the train was light.

‘Are you off home an’ all, love?’ One of the men in the carriage asked Livvy cheerily.

She grinned and shook her head as she stared down at her uniform. ‘Not yet. My unit should be dispersed within the next couple of months and I can’t tell you how nice it will be to wear my own clothes again. I’m actually going to visit my … er … a friend who is in a military hospital in Plymouth. He was in Belsen.’

The man’s smile faded as he glanced towards the man sitting next to him. ‘Well, in that case don’t get expectin’ too much, love,’ he said solemnly. ‘Them places were hell holes so he might not be in very fine fettle at the moment. Still, at least he survived it so I wish him all the best.’

‘Thank you.’ Livvy stared out of the window thinking on his words. She was half longing to see Giles but was also half dreading what state he might be in. But, she told herself, he’s alive and that’s the main thing. Whatever condition he was in she was sure he would recover once he was back at Treetops. Everyone would make sure of that.