‘Leopards rarely change their spots,’ said Peggy, who’d quietly come to the doorway to watch him. ‘But you’re doing a good job so far. Keep it up, Ron.’

Ron gritted his teeth as she chuckled and walked away. As much as he loved Peggy, he did wish she wouldn’t creep up on him like that. Rosie was the same. Was it something all women did to catch their man out – or just a habit of the women he loved? Either way, he knew he’d have to turn over a new leaf, for Peggy was at the end of her tether, and Rosie would stand no nonsense on her return and he had to be on his best behaviour. If she’d have him.

An hour later he emerged from the basement in triumph to find that Peggy was helping Daisy with her breakfast, Rita was preparing to go to the fire station, and Cordelia was immersed in her newspaper crossword.

‘I would like you all to come and see my room,’ he declared. ‘To be sure it is now the finest room in the house, with not a speck of dust to be found, and a window so clean you wouldn’t know it was there.’

They encouraged Cordelia to leave her crossword and turn on her hearing aid, and then dutifully trooped downstairs.

Ron stood back admiring his room as the women crowded round him. All his clothes were folded away, his boots hidden in the bottom of the wardrobe, his fishing tackle neatly stored on top of it. The bed was freshly made, the furniture polished, and there was a pot of hyacinths on the chest of drawers which now had all its knobs firmly back in place. He’d shaken the rug, scrubbed the floor, put fresh bedding in for Flora and Dora, and even swept away the cobwebs which had hung like cargo nets from the ceiling.

‘It was about time you did something useful,’ grumbled Cordelia. ‘But I doubt it’ll stay like this for more than half a day.’

‘It looks lovely, Grandpa Ron,’ said Rita, giving him a hug. ‘And smells nice too, for a change.’

‘Very nice,’ said Peggy, holding tightly to Daisy as she watched the ferrets sleeping in their cage tucked beneath the high bed. ‘But you’ve still got a long way to go to convince me you’ll do this every day.’

Ron crammed his hat onto his head. ‘To be sure you women are never satisfied,’ he grumbled. ‘I work me fingers to the bone all the while me shrapnel’s moving and giving me hell, and all I get is sarcasm. Come on, Harvey. Let’s be up to the Memorial for some added insults from Matron just to brighten our day.’