‘It’s unlikely. The journey there is long and she’ll probably stay a while before coming back.’ Stan gently held her away from him, giving her a clean handkerchief to dry her tears. ‘Ivy’s strong like you, Ruby,’ he said softly. ‘She’ll come through this as she’s come through everything else – and she has a good man by her side in Andy.’

Ruby nodded, knowing Stan was right, but the sadness for her friend lingered and the thought of not seeing her again hit hard. She would miss Ivy’s raucous laughter, her sense of mischief and fun, and the quiet moments in which they’d shared their dreams about their wedding day when each attended the other as bridesmaid.

She gave a deep sigh, finished drying her eyes and plastered on a smile. ‘I hope things turn out all right for her,’ she said. ‘I’ll write a letter with me forwarding address and leave it with you to give to ’er when she gets back. I’d love to ’ear from her and all of you, ’cos I expect I’ll get a bit ’omesick all the way over there.’

‘I’ll make sure she gets it,’ he assured her. ‘Do you want a cuppa before you go to Peggy’s?’

Ruby shook her head. ‘Thanks, Stan, but I’d better get on. I’m meeting Mike at one, and don’t want to be late.’ She hugged and kissed both of them, and as the next train slowly emerged around the bend, she took her leave.

Peggy had finally managed to have a long chat with her younger sister, Doreen, and was delighted to hear that she and the girls were very happy and settled, and that Doreen was being courted by one of the masters at the school in Wales where she worked as a secretary. Doreen was hoping to visit Cliffehaven in the summer holidays so she could see the new and improved Doris for herself and meet the man who’d brought about the miraculous change in her.

Peggy’s spirits had been lifted no end after that call, and she was on the point of getting Daisy ready to go out for an hour in the recreation playground when Doris turned up asking after Ivy.

On hearing the news that she’d already left for London, Doris gave a deep sigh and settled into a kitchen chair, so Peggy abandoned her plans, told her Doreen’s news, and put the kettle on for tea.

Doris listened, but her mind was clearly still on Ivy for she made no comment about Doreen. ‘I was hoping to offer Ivy some help – although I don’t really know what I could have done in the circumstances, except to pay some of her train fare. The pair of them don’t have much money, and travelling all the way to Salisbury will eat into their savings.’