Ivy noted how his face glowed with love and pride and felt a prickle of unease. She’d come to stay for a bit to get to know the kids and then take them back to Cliffehaven until the flat was ready in London, but it seemed the Johnsons had other ideas if they were planning George’s future at the local grammar school. She had to nip any such plans in the bud – and quickly, before there were any more misunderstandings.

‘None of our lot went to school after they turned fourteen,’ she said lightly. ‘We ’ad to earn a living to help out in the house. And when me and Andy take the kids on, we won’t have the money for the likes of grammar school.’

She tentatively touched his sleeve to convey her sympathy and understanding, for he clearly adored the kids and it would break his heart when they left. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Johnson, but filling George’s ’ead with such things ain’t good fer ’im, ’cos where we comes from, things like grammar school are a pipe dream.’

Richard nodded. ‘Marjorie and I thought that might be the case,’ he said quietly, ‘so we were wondering if you’d agree to something we’ve thought long and hard about since it was clear the war was coming to an end.’

‘Oh, yeah, and what’s that?’ she asked, suspicious that he was about to offer her money to educate George – which of course she’d refuse. She was no charity case, and neither were the kids.

Richard switched off the engine and sat there staring out of the windscreen for a long moment before clearing his throat and squaring his shoulders. ‘We’ve come to love George and Elsie as if they are our own,’ he said carefully, ‘and can’t bear the thought of losing them. So … so we were wondering if you’d consent to letting us adopt them.’

Ivy could only stare at him.

‘I realise it’s asking a great deal of you,’ he said with an edge of desperation in his voice as he turned to her. ‘But I beg you to give the idea your full consideration before you dismiss it.’

Ivy didn’t know how to respond and was, for once, lost for words.

16

It was the morning of Ruby’s wedding, and Peggy was hugely grateful to Solly for giving her the day off from the factory. As the Town Hall ceremony was a fairly early one, she was dressed and ready for it – bar her hat and gloves – before having breakfast. Rolling her eyes at the mess in her kitchen, she fastened her wrap-round apron over her best dress, then quickly fed Daisy and slurped down a cup of tea with an aspirin as her mind raced with all the things still to be done.