‘I’ve had a letter from Mum, and two from Jane,’ she replied, exchanging the cool iron for the one heating up on the range. ‘Jane says she’s kept so busy with the MOD that there’s not even the slightest possibility of getting any leave at the moment, but she sends her love to everyone.’

She dipped her chin and began to iron a pillowcase, her fair hair falling over her shoulders and hiding her face. ‘Mum’s enjoying living in Australia, and little James is growing like a weed – but she says the heat and humidity in Cairns is very draining and she misses not having proper seasons. After all those years of living in Singapore, she longs for cool English autumn days, cold rain and frosty mornings.’

‘Well, she’s welcome to them,’ chuckled Peggy, hearing the first spots of rain clatter against the window. ‘I could do with some sun after the lousy winter and spring we’ve had.’

As Sarah continued ironing Peggy watched her thoughtfully. Sarah was usually so open about things, and this avoidance tweaked Peggy’s curiosity, for there was only one person she could think of who might have sent that letter.

While working in the offices of the Women’s Timber Corps up at the Cliffe estate, Sarah had become friendly with an American, Captain Delaney Hammond. He’d since been posted abroad, and Sarah had confessed tearfully to Peggy that her feelings for the captain had gone deeper than just friendship. As he was married and she was engaged to Philip – who’d more than likely been taken prisoner when the Japanese overran Singapore – there could be no future in their relationship. Sarah had struggled to come to terms with her feelings, guilty at being disloyal to Philip, but at the same time battling her deep affection for the married captain.

Peggy had noticed letters going back and forth during the first few months following his departure, but as far as she knew, they’d stopped some while ago – so why had they started again, and more to the point, why was Sarah being so secretive about it? Now wasn’t the time to quiz the girl, but tomorrow Peggy was determined to find a quiet moment to talk to her alone and find out just what was going on.

Fran looked at the clock on the mantel. ‘I’d better get out of this uniform and grab an hour or two of sleep before supper,’ she said through a vast yawn. ‘It’s been a long, busy day, and I’m on earlies again tomorrow and the operating theatre is booked solid. What time are the others coming?’