‘Sleep well.’ Peggy tiptoed to the door, listening intently as Cordelia slowly climbed the stairs, poised to dash out and catch her should she fall.

She found she’d been holding her breath, and as Cordelia reached the landing, she let it out on a long sigh. She would have to do something to make Cordelia’s life easier – although the elderly lady would refuse to accept she needed help and would be most put out at what she’d see as interference. Yet it was clear she was finding the stairs a hindrance these days, and every time she went up and down them, Peggy dreaded it.

Returning to the table, she sat down and mulled over the problem. It would be easy to swap rooms with her, but then she wouldn’t be close to the bathroom or lavatory, and she quite often had to get up in the night now. Cordelia hated using the commode, and getting to the outside lav meant going down those concrete steps and out into all weathers – which was definitely not on.

Peggy fretted over the problem until the nine o’clock news began.

‘Here is the news read by Stuart Hibberd.

‘All the landing beaches in Normandy are now cleared of the enemy. Reinforcements and supplies are getting across safely. More airborne landings were made during the night when five waves of glider troops seized fresh positions on the Cherbourg Peninsula.

‘Heavy armoured fighting has started inland. A German tank attack near Caen has been beaten off. Allied aircraft flew more than thirteen thousand sorties yesterday. The RAF had more than a thousand planes out during the night on roads and railways behind the beachheads.

‘German attacks to the north of Jassy in Romania have got weaker and easily pushed back. In Italy the Fifth Army, pushing ten miles on from Rome, are now spreading out along the highways to the north.

‘The general picture from the coast of Normandy this evening is that the perils of D-Day have been successfully met, though the main battles at sea, in the air and on the land are still to come.

‘Letters to men taking part in the assault have already been sent across the Channel. This is announced today by the Post Office, which says that the postal service between the United Kingdom and our forces on the Continent have been planned as an integral part of the military organisation.’

Peggy’s mind began to wander. Never mind the invasion; there seemed to be more and more problems to be faced here at home, and she felt rather beleaguered by them. Cordelia couldn’t go on as she was; Rita needed extra attention at this difficult time; something was troubling Sarah; and there was still the question over whether Dolly had sorted out the problem between Ron and Rosie.