Doris took off her apron and went into the bedroom to check on her appearance. The pale cream sweater and tweed skirt were of good quality and sensible for such an occasion, and with the fake pearls in her ears and round her neck, she looked quite presentable. She patted her hair and dabbed some powder on her rather shiny nose, then nodded at her reflection and went into the sitting room.

John had lit a fire in the hearth, for although the sun was bright, there was a chill wind, and they’d be cold after the long walk up the hill. She needlessly plumped cushions, checked the water in the vase of irises, then straightened the pile of magazines on the coffee table. Finding nothing else to occupy her, she nervously lit a cigarette and looked out of the window.

There was no sign of them yet and Ladysmith Road was deserted, but on this clear, bright day she could see every detail of the town spread across the valley between the hills, and the horseshoe bay, where a couple of sailing boats leaned with the wind to race across the sparkling sea.

Peggy was down there in Beach View welcoming Jack and Jane home, but Doris suspected that behind her bright smiles and chatter, her heart would be heavy over the recent loss of Freddy, and the tragedy that had struck poor little Ivy. It had come as a terrible shock when Peggy had telephoned earlier to tell her the news, for Doris had come to like Ivy despite her raucous ways and rather suspect sense of humour, and although their relationship had not started well, they’d formed a surprisingly close bond over the past year or so.

Doris had been with the girl during the bombing raid that had flattened a good deal of the factory estate, and learned that Ivy had survived a similar experience earlier on in the war when another raid had entombed her in the vast underground shelter. She’d found love that day when the firemen had come and Andy had pulled her out, and although she’d been through a great deal, Ivy’s fighting spirit had never deserted her, and Doris admired her tenacity. But to learn such awful news so long after the event, would surely dampen even Ivy’s spirits, and Doris decided she would go and see her tomorrow to offer any help she could to ease that awful burden.

Doris was so deep in thought she didn’t hear the key in the lock, and she started as John called out, ‘Hello? Doris, we’re back.’

Her heart thudded, but she determinedly took a deep breath and went into the narrow hall to find John standing there with a tall, slender young man whose blue eyes regarded her with undisguised curiosity.

‘Hello, darling,’ murmured John, briefly pecking her cheek. ‘This is Michael.’