This rousing speech was greeted with a roar of cheering by the members of Parliament in the House of Commons, and echoed resoundingly by those who raised their glasses in the Anchor.

Frederick Allen was going through the main points again, and finished the broadcast with a reminder that the King would be speaking to his people scattered across the world this evening.

Ron turned the volume down as the chatter broke out and demands for more beer sent him down to the cellar to change another barrel and bring up the crates of bottles. No matter what was happening outside these four walls, business at the Anchor was brisk, and before the day was over, he’d have to put in an order at the brewery.

16

Peggy was emotionally drained by the end of the day, and besieged with worry about how to find out the truth of Olive’s gossip before Ron got to hear of it. There was little doubt that Ethel had stoked Olive’s thirst for tittle-tattle, for they were two of a kind – but the thought that Doris had somehow become involved just made things worse.

To put the tin lid on what had turned out to be a stressful day, Daisy proved to be overtired and not in the best of moods when she picked her up from the nursery.

‘Too much jelly and ice cream,’ said Nanny Pringle sagely. ‘I did warn Mrs Goldman that such things are inclined to overexcite small children, but of course it has been a very special day, and Mrs Goldman is such a generous benefactor that one can’t really complain.’

Peggy rested her hand lightly on Daisy’s tousled dark curls as the child grizzled and whined and clung to her legs. ‘Oh dear,’ she sighed, glancing across to the van waiting outside the gates. ‘Poor Lil has enough to cope with, and Daisy’s clearly out of sorts.’

‘I’m sure Lil will manage as magnificently as always,’ said Nanny Pringle comfortably. ‘She would have made an excellent nanny, and those four orphaned boys they’ve taken on are proof of that.’

Peggy untangled Daisy’s arms from her legs and hoisted her onto her hip to murmur soothing words against her damp cheek. She felt awful about dumping her on Lil after not seeing her all day, and the fact that Daisy was overwrought and needing her tea and bed didn’t make her feel any better.

‘I’m so sorry, Lil,’ she said, reaching the van. ‘Daisy’s not in the best of moods, and I think I ought to just take her home and forget about visiting the hospital this evening.’

‘Aw,’ said Lil, stroking Daisy’s back and trying to coax her out of her grizzling. ‘She won’t be no bother.’