‘It’s a fine day for a round of golf, but I’ll pop in later and take Cordelia to afternoon tea at the club.’ He strode off towards the golf club which sprawled beyond the northern boundaries of Cliffehaven, a sprightly, neat figure with an energy that belied his advanced years.

Ron headed down the hill to Beach View, his worries about Rosie momentarily forgotten amidst his troubled thoughts on Danuta’s plight. The girl had escaped the horrors of the Warsaw ghetto and come to England in search of her fighter pilot brother, who’d tragically been killed shortly before her arrival. Danuta had been pregnant at the time, and when the baby had been stillborn, she’d become determined to play a part in bringing Hitler down. She’d lost everyone she loved, and was filled with such anger and pain that he and Dolly had feared for her ability to stay cool in dangerous situations.

But Danuta had proved to them that she could channel that fury into a steely determination to survive and do as much damage to the enemy as she could, and had played an intrinsic part in rescuing Martin, Freddy and Roger from the horrors of Buchenwald concentration camp. Now she needed to be loved and cherished, and Ron knew there was no one better placed to do that than darling wee Peggy. Yet how to explain why Danuta was back in Cliffehaven at the Memorial, which had been designated as a service personnel hospital?

Deciding he’d think on that for a while, he put it to the back of his mind as he came down into Cliffehaven. He made his way through the labyrinth of narrow streets behind the Crown to the High Street, and then over the humpback bridge to the station.

‘Hello, Stan,’ he said cheerfully. ‘How are you holding up on this fine day?’

Stan grinned back at him. ‘I’m as fit as a fiddle. Ethel took over here this morning so I could have a bit of a lie-in, and it’s done me the world of good.’ He eyed his friend and winked. ‘I hear you’re in a spot of bother with your lady love,’ he said. ‘Was it some of my roses you were after?’

Ron grimaced. ‘Aye, I am that. I’ve a nasty feeling I have lots of humble pie to eat today.’

‘It’ll take more than roses, Ron, if the gossip about her and the Major is true.’

‘That’s what’s worrying me,’ Ron confessed. ‘It’s not like Rosie to shut me out and avoid me like this, and I’m thinking I’m in deep trouble this time. The Major is something I hadn’t bargained for.’