‘There’s the rub, Jack,’ Peter replied on a sigh. ‘Rita refused to agree to a proper engagement until she’d discussed it with you, so the authorities don’t know about us, and I can’t make any plans.’ Peter regarded him squarely across the table. ‘Look, Jack, I know you must have a lot of questions – I certainly would if I was in your shoes – so why don’t we go for a stroll round the gardens and clear things up between us?’

‘I think that’s a very good idea,’ Jack replied, impressed by the younger man’s straight talking. ‘Rita, do you mind us leaving you?’

‘Not at all,’ she said lightly. ‘Take your time. I’ll meet you back at the bikes, and then we can all go out to lunch.’ She grinned and replied to Jack’s unspoken question. ‘Pete can ride pillion behind me as usual. It’s quite safe.’

Jack wasn’t at all sure about that after witnessing the way she rode that bike, but clearly it was something they did frequently without mishap, so he made no comment.

Peter kissed Rita’s cheek, retrieved the walking stick, and the two men set off in silence down a meandering path, Jack measuring his pace to Peter’s slower one. They passed the pheasant pens and the dark salmon pool that Ron and his sons had used as their larder over the years, and caught sight of the surly gamekeeper patrolling with his vicious-looking dog which was thankfully on a short leash.

Eventually the path petered out at the edge of an ancient forest of oak, ash and elm which shut out the sun and made it feel quite chilly until they finally emerged into a sunlit clearing that afforded them a magnificent view over the peaceful valley to the distant hills.

‘Those huts back there provided accommodation for the girls who used to cut the timber,’ explained Peter, ‘and that ruin on the side of the valley used to be a farmhouse until a V-1 got it. Luckily no one was in it at the time.’

Jack spied the bench which had been placed to afford the very best of the magnificent view. ‘Let’s sit and talk, Peter,’ he said quietly. ‘I need to get to know more about you if I’m to let her go to the other side of the world with you.’

‘Too right you do,’ Peter replied cheerfully, sitting down and offering Jack a cigarette. ‘So, Jack, where would you like me to start?’ he asked moments later, the smoke curling from his mouth.

‘From the beginning.’

Peter’s smile didn’t falter as he raised a questioning brow. ‘Strewth, mate, that’s a few years to cover, but if it means you’ll give us your blessing, I reckon it’s got to be done.’