Doris stubbed out her cigarette. ‘Well,’ she began eagerly, ‘I understand the Major started going into the Anchor once he’d recovered enough from his surgery to be out and about.’ She leant closer. ‘The poor brave man lost half his left arm, you know,’ she said conspiratorially, ‘and I suspect he was feeling rather lonely and out of kilter once he realised his army career was over. Mrs Braithwaite was no doubt on hand to soothe his troubled soul,’ she added spitefully before sitting back with a holier-than-thou expression that Dolly wanted to swipe off her face.

Doris continued, unaware of how close she was to getting a bloody nose, ‘Mrs Braithwaite was, shall we say, very friendly towards him; giving him free drinks and keeping him company after hours; having lunch with him at the Officers’ Club and coffee in the Lilac Tearooms. You mark my words, Dolly, that woman was quite brazen about it. It’s clear she saw an officer and a gentleman as well as a good army pension and a much easier life – it’s no wonder she went off with him.’

Dolly feigned shock. ‘Went off with him?’ she gasped. ‘But Mrs Braithwaite is still married. There can be no future with the Major – or with anyone until her husband dies.’ She edged a little closer to Doris, inviting more intimacy. ‘Are you sure she went off with the Major, Doris, or does this come from some gossip you’ve overheard?’

Doris drew herself up and looked down her nose at Dolly. ‘My dear Dolly, I never listen to gossip. I’m sure you would agree that the only truth is what can be witnessed by our own eyes – and I assure you, I saw them together at the station that morning. In fact I even spoke to her very briefly.’

‘Goodness,’ breathed Dolly, suitably wide-eyed and agog for more. ‘What did she say? How did she explain what she was doing with the Major?’

Doris’s gaze slid away and she seemed to play for time before answering by lighting another cigarette. ‘We hardly had a proper conversation,’ she said finally. ‘I’m not in the habit of passing the time of day with women like that.’

Dolly wanted to shake it out of her but knew she had to keep her patience and let Doris tell the story in her own way. ‘But I heard the Major had hired a car and driver when he’d left the Memorial, so what were they doing at the station?’

‘She asked – no, demanded – that I take a letter to Reilly. As if I had the time or the inclination to run errands for her. The bare-faced cheek of the woman quite took my breath away.’

‘How ghastly for you,’ Dolly murmured without a shade of sympathy. ‘So what did you do?’