Rita stood at the sink in the kitchen behind the shop and rinsed out her cup. She had dearly wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with all her children, but she’d been called in to do a night shift and she couldn’t let the hospital down. At least Maeve would be on duty too, and so they could spend the time cheering up the patients, saying goodbye to 1944 and welcoming in 1945. She couldn’t begin to guess what this year would bring.

Ruby came into the room behind her, a big ledger under her arm. Rita turned and smiled.

‘Don’t tell me you’re going to see in the new year by doing the accounts, Ruby,’ she said. ‘Let them go for once.’

Ruby shook her heard, her pale blonde hair bobbing as she did so. ‘No, they are all up to date now. Everything tallies.’ She put the ledger down proudly. ‘We made a profit this year, Rita. You don’t have to worry like you used to.’

Rita let out a breath she hadn’t even realised she’d been holding, but the very sight of the ledger always made her anxious, ever since that awful time when the shop had nearly gone bust. They’d have lost their main source of income and maybe the roof over their heads as well. Now, even though she knew she didn’t have to panic – Jack’s wages would always provide for them – the deep instinct was still there. ‘Ruby, you are a marvel,’ she said with real feeling. ‘I can’t begin to think how we managed without you.’ Badly, she recalled. It was Ruby’s unexpected gift for reading columns of figures that had set them on the right road. ‘So, if you aren’t balancing the books, how are you spending the evening? Are you going over to Mam’s with the children?’

Ruby’s face took on a bashful expression. ‘She’s very kind. She asked me.’

‘Of course,’ said Rita. ‘You’re part of the family and Michael and Megan would love you to be there.’

Ruby nodded. ‘I know. They asked me. It’s been so lovely spending Christmas with them, they’ve grown so big. All the same …’ She looked away.

‘You don’t have to say, I’m only teasing,’ Rita assured her, wondering what could be so important that Ruby would turn down the chance to spend the last evening with the children before Joan and Seth arrived tomorrow to take them back to the farm. She hoped Ruby wasn’t intending to go out and return late, unlikely though it seemed. The children would have to sleep upstairs, as there would be no room with Dolly and Pop, especially as they had agreed yet again to have Georgie to stay.

Ruby bit her lip and looked at the ceiling. ‘I’m having a visitor.’

‘A visitor?’ Rita asked with interest.