Early in June, Livvy set off for Billy Butlin’s new holiday camp in Skegness with two of her older friends from work, who had promised Sunday they would look after her, for a whole week’s holiday.

‘It’s quite close to the beach, according to the brochure,’ she informed her mother excitedly as Sunday helped her pack her case.

‘Just make sure you enjoy it and have a good rest,’ Sunday urged. Livvy was such a hard-working girl she deserved a holiday. ‘I just wish you were going somewhere a little more exotic where you were guaranteed the sun.’

‘Huh, there’s nothing wrong with Skeggy,’ Livvy replied. ‘And from the sounds of the place there will be lots to do even if it rains. I just wish I could have persuaded Kathy to come with me.’

‘I wish you could have too – she works far too hard,’ Sunday agreed, closing the clasps, and following behind as Livvy humped the case down the stairs. Ben was waiting outside the front door to run her to the train station to meet her friends, so after giving her mother and Cissie a swift hug she got in the car, waving wildly from the window as it drove off.

‘Oh, to be young again, eh?’ Cissie sighed before pottering away, and Sunday could only nod in agreement.

The summer seemed to pass in the blink of an eye and by the end of it, Sunday was convinced that Kathy and David were becoming a couple, although Kathy still stoutly denied it. But why else would he visit on a weekly basis? And why would she go to the pictures and out for meals with him? Sunday mused. It was clear David was besotted with Kathy, and Sunday could only assume Kathy was playing hard to get. Even so she had high hopes that something would come of it in time and she always went out of her way to welcome him. After all, he was far from home, which was why Sunday suggested to Cissie one weekend in mid-September, ‘I was thinking of inviting Verity and Edgar for dinner one evening and I thought it might be nice to ask David too – if he could get away from the hospital, of course. What do you think?’