‘Then I hope you’ll find it, George.’ Anne squeezed his arm. ‘And wish you both all the luck in the world. You deserve it.’

George reddened and avoided looking at Anne. ‘I don’t know about deserving anything in particular,’ he murmured bashfully, ‘but it is quite important we find the right place to live and work. You see, Belinda and I are expecting a baby in December.’

Anne threw her arms round him and gave him a quick hug, aware they could be seen by half the village and would no doubt set tongues wagging. ‘Oh, George,’ she breathed. ‘That’s the very best news I’ve heard in ages. Congratulations.’

He went a deeper scarlet and dug his hands into his jacket pockets. ‘Yes, it is rather. We’re both thrilled, but the notice from the Education Board couldn’t have come at a worse time.’

Anne chuckled. ‘Then we’ll just have to hope that the rest of the village follow your example and start having lots and lots of babies.’

She left him with a cheerful wave at the gate of the headmaster’s cottage where he lived with Belinda, and began the walk home. Despite the threat of the school closure, it was wonderful news about the baby, and she could only hope she could keep up her high spirits long enough to face whatever awaited her at Owlet Farm.

Violet was affectionately known to all as Auntie Vi, even though she was aunt only to Sally and no relation whatsoever to Anne. She was now sixty, with a thick mop of silver hair and a comfortably rounded figure, but was still taking an active role in running the farm with Anne’s brother Bob. Dressed in her usual wellington boots and many layers of clothing despite the warm day, she was herding the last of the cows into the milking shed. She looked round with a beaming smile as Anne came into the cobbled yard and waved.

‘It’s all been happening today,’ she said, following the last cow into the shed and cleaning its udders before attaching them to the milking machine. ‘We’ve got a new dairyman at last, and two more farmhands to help Claus and Bob.’

Without pausing for breath, Vi hurried on. ‘And Claus has been with his young Lily to see the vicar, and arrange their wedding for mid-July. Her parents have finally come to realise she’s determined to marry him, and although they’re still a little frosty at the idea of her marrying a German, they’ve given their permission.’

She chuckled. ‘The fact she’s expecting probably had a lot to do with it,’ she added with a wink. ‘But don’t say anything; he told me that in confidence.’