The first face Kitty saw as they lifted her out of the rubble was Frank’s. He had been brought out just minutes before her – she’d heard the rescue party reach him and free him from the weight of the rubble. He had refused to go for treatment until he saw Kitty with his own eyes.

She was helped from the shattered remains of the building by an ARP warden, both of them covered in dust, but she was able to walk. Frank stepped towards her, took one look and then enveloped her in the hug he had promised her when they’d lain trapped under the weight of the collapsed block. ‘Kitty,’ he murmured, breathing in her hair, not caring about the dust. ‘You’re safe, you’re safe. See, I said you would be.’

She rested her face against his chest, ignoring the smears of earth and blood and dust. ‘You did. You were right. Oh, Frank, I thought we might die in there.’

He pulled back a little. ‘But we didn’t. And even if we had, yours would have been the last voice I’d have heard. The most beautiful sound in the world. My darling Kitty.’ He hugged her again, very carefully angling himself away from her left arm.

‘Now then, sir, this young lady has to go for treatment at once.’ The ARP warden spoke with sympathy but he wasn’t about to brook any objection. ‘And you need a transfusion, you’ve lost blood. Time enough for all of that when she’s been given the all-clear by the doctor. You’re still bleeding from your temple; you’re to go and get that sorted out.’

Frank reluctantly let Kitty go, but before the ARP warden could direct them to the first-aiders, there was a minor commotion and somebody in a Wren uniform pushed through the crowd. ‘There you are. Hoped I’d be in time. You’re to come with me, admiral’s orders.’

‘Laura!’ Kitty exclaimed. ‘How did you know where we were?’

‘Miss, these people are to go to the first-aid post,’ the warden said sternly, but Laura was having none of it.

‘Which will no doubt be completely overwhelmed with the number of injured from this site, so I’m here to take these two to somewhere less crowded,’ she said blithely. ‘Don’t worry, they’ll get the best possible medical treatment. The admiral’s car is over there, waiting specially.’ The warden stood back, too busy to argue the point, and Laura swiftly ushered them across the remains of the road to where a smart black limousine was parked. ‘Get in and I’ll explain,’ she said.

Frank helped Kitty get into the back seat and then followed her, resting his arm around her uninjured shoulder to make sure she sat upright and didn’t jar her damaged arm. ‘So you’re Laura,’ he said.