‘That’s why I needed to talk to you,’ Laura said. ‘I knew you’d listen to my muddled theory but be kind about it. Thank you, Kitty, and for giving up your day off when I’m sure you could have found plenty of other more fun things to do.’ She sat up and took a drink from her own glass. ‘So, tell me, what is it like being home? Are you finding new ways to have fun? I do hope so. It has to be livelier than where you were before, surely.’

Kitty smiled and ran her finger through the drops of condensation forming on the outside of her glass. ‘Not fun like we used to have, if that’s what you mean. I’m working too hard, but it’s lovely being back and seeing my family. I wrote to you about Tommy, didn’t I?’ She described the trouble she and Danny had had with him before he agreed to become a telegraph boy. ‘Then there’s Rita’s new baby, who’s lovely, although I’m a bit biased as she’s my goddaughter. And now Violet is having a baby too, which is the best thing that could happen after losing Eddy.’

‘I was so sorry to hear about that,’ said Laura sincerely. ‘You’re close to all that family, aren’t you?’

Kitty nodded. ‘Mind you, the older brother, Frank, is driving me mad. He works at Derby House and so I see him all the time. He’s an officer now and he’s so strict, a real stickler for detail, and he drives me round the bend. Even though I should be grateful to him as he’s found a bike for Tommy, he just has this way of getting my goat every time I see him.’ She finished the rest of her drink in one go, suddenly feeling far too hot.

Laura raised her eyebrows and gave a lopsided grin. ‘Well, well. Seems as if he really has got under your skin. Surely he can’t be that bad? Haven’t you known him all your life – is it only now that you see a different side to him?’

‘Maybe,’ said Kitty. ‘Or else, I’ve grown up and he can’t treat me like a little kid any more.’ She blotted out the few times in the past when she’d thought he saw her potentially as something else. ‘He’s too annoying for words.’

‘Interesting,’ said Laura mildly. ‘I’ve never seen you get het up like this about a man before. Are you sure that’s all there is to it?’

Kitty frowned. ‘Absolutely. Don’t go looking at me like that. You’re deliberately getting the wrong end of the stick. Anyway, he’s spoken for – he’s got a Wren girlfriend and she works at Derby House too.’