By the time they emerged from the bunker the sun was already rising and the remnants of dawn lingered to the east, sending darts of pink into the sky reflected in an almost flat sea. Birds were staking noisy claim to territory in the trees to the side of the Manor, and a roe deer slipped across the path in front of them.

‘Going to be a fine day,’ Monty observed cheerfully.

‘Off to bed now?’ someone asked.

‘Nope, I’m going to get the boss. I reckon we’re going up that mast again. Need to double-check the IFF receiver just to make sure. At least it’ll be in daylight this time.’

The boss? Kath realised he must be referring to Vic. After all the stress of the shift and the worry about Mark, she’d almost forgotten. As Monty peeled off in the direction of the Manor, she realised that as civilian visitors he and Vic would be served breakfast in the officers’ mess while she and her fellow WAAFs were heading for the grim fare of the cookhouse. Their paths were unlikely to cross, unless one of them . . .

On impulse, she called to Monty’s disappearing back, ‘Tell him Kath says hello.’

He swivelled round. ‘You mean Vic?’

She nodded, conscious of the others’ questioning looks.

‘Will do, miss,’ he said with smile and a mock salute.

28

‘You old fox,’ Monty said, finding Vic at the breakfast table.

‘I’ve been called some things in my time, but to what do I owe this compliment?’ Vic said, tucking into fried bread and scrambled eggs. The bread had a faint but not unpleasant tang of kippers.

‘I gather you are acquainted with a certain leading aircraft-woman Motts?’

Vic took a mouthful of food, then wished he hadn’t. With some effort, he managed to chew and swallow without choking. ‘Yes, I am. What of it?’

‘She said to say hello.’

‘You met her? What exactly did she say?’

‘Just that, nothing more. Sorry to disappoint, old chap. She was on duty in the receiving room. We had quite a night of it, I can tell you.’

‘What happened?’

Monty gave a brief summary.

‘So we need to check that calibration again?’

‘’Fraid so. Hey ho. Up we go.’

As he climbed the ladder Vic wondered where Kath would be now. Asleep, probably. Hearing that she’d mentioned his name to Monty, his heart seemed to unfreeze a little. So what if she enjoyed the occasional fling with other men – especially Yanks, who could provide such delights as swing bands, ice cream and nylon stockings? He’d never laid any claim to her and had only hoped, but never presumed, that she might consider him a longer-term proposition.

Now, more than anything, he wanted just to see her, to straighten things up between them before he had to leave for Martlesham and then, in two weeks’ time, go back to London.