‘Put me down this instant, you great bully,’ Cordelia protested, wriggling furiously in his arms. ‘This is most indecent, and I will not stand for it, do you hear?’

‘To be sure ’tis not me that’s deaf,’ he grumbled good-naturedly, carrying her across the hall and out to join the others on the front step.

Cordelia stopped struggling. ‘What is it? What’s happened?’ she asked, her voice rising in excitement.

Ron carried her down the steps and along the cul-de-sac before gently setting her on her feet. ‘Look,’ he said, pointing to the skies and the plumes of smoke rising beyond the mass of warships.

‘Oh,’ she breathed through her fingers. ‘Oh, my goodness. So it’s happening at last.’ She turned to Ron, still trying to get the volume on her hearing aid at a comfortable level. ‘Why didn’t you tell me instead of grabbing hold of me in that rough fashion?’

Ron wiggled his eyebrows and grinned. ‘You know you enjoyed it, so stop complaining and watch the show.’

Cordelia huffed and drew the collar of her dressing gown tightly to her chin, but she soon forgot to be cross as she stood with the others to watch in awe as the invasion unfolded before them.

‘I hope Fran isn’t trapped in theatre and missing all this,’ shouted a radiant Peggy above the noise. ‘It’s a terrific show.’

‘I expect everyone’s watching who can,’ replied Ron, noting the swarms of people who’d gathered on the long hill that went down to the promenade, and those who were leaning out of their windows to wave flags and shout encouragement to the airmen.

‘This is history in the making, Peggy, and an opportunity not to be missed.’

Peggy eased Daisy off her hip and the little girl clapped her hands and danced about in delight, laughing and waving to the planes while Harvey, not to be outdone, dashed back and forth barking excitedly.

They stood there in their nightclothes watching for almost half an hour, and then Peggy glanced at her watch. ‘The news will be on soon,’ she said. ‘Let’s go in to hear what’s happening over there.’

Ron helped Cordelia up the steps and they trooped indoors. The wireless had warmed up, but music was playing, so Peggy put the kettle on while Sarah and Ivy rushed off to get dressed for work, and Rita put bread on the hotplate for toast.

The planes were still going overhead and making the most fearful racket, so Peggy turned up the volume on the wireless, poured out the tea and quickly made sure that Cordelia hadn’t got cold from being outside in her nightclothes. Tension was high, the anticipation and excitement showing in all of them as they gathered around the table, their focus on the wireless.

The music stopped, and everyone edged forward in their chairs as the announcer’s voice broke the tense silence in the kitchen.