Anne could feel tears prickling as she kissed the rosy cheek. ‘I do want to believe that,’ she managed. ‘Thank you for being so very kind to us all over the years. I don’t know what we’d have done without you.’

‘Oh, you’d have managed,’ Vi said with breezy dismissal. ‘You’re a very capable young woman, Anne.’ She cocked her head at Bob’s shout from inside the milking shed. ‘It seems I’m needed,’ she said cheerfully. ‘The children have been bathed and fed, and there’s a bottle of my parsnip wine in the kitchen. Forget your troubles for a while and just enjoy Sally’s company on her last evening here.’

Anne gave a rueful smile as the small round figure bustled away. Vi’s parsnip wine was famous all over the county for its deceptive honeyed notes, for it was a lethal concoction which slipped down far too easily and left the drinker with a blinding hangover the following morning. But, despite their very different backgrounds, Sally had become a close friend over the years they’d lived at Owlet Farm, and Anne could think of no better way to relax and set aside her cares than to spend the evening in her lively company.

Cliffehaven

It was Saturday and the very last day in June and Peggy was sitting in the front row of the wedding room in the Town Hall with Cordelia, watching the guests arrive.

Despite the fact Ivy had no family to speak of, it was a marvellous turn-out. The men from the local fire station had just come in looking very smart in their black uniforms, and they cheerfully greeted John Hicks, who was acting as best man today, and went on to tease the groom, who was similarly dressed, and waiting nervously by the registrar’s table.

Doris was wearing a fancy hat and smart navy two-piece as she arrived on John White’s arm, and Rosie looked terrific in a scarlet dress and enormous black hat. Not to be outdone, Gloria’s hat was even bigger, and her dress was an eye-watering orange. It was skin-tight and far too short, but Gloria carried it off with her usual aplomb. With jangling bracelets and earrings, she approached an ashen-faced Andy and ordered him to take a nip from her brandy flask before he fell down. This achieved, she plumped down next to her sister in the front row and passed the flask amongst the firemen.

Stan from the station was in his best suit, and firmly gripping Harvey’s lead as the dog slumped beneath his chair, sporting a red ribbon bow on his collar. Peggy smiled, for she knew there had been a bit of a rumpus between the registrar and the Mayor following Ruby’s wedding, but it seemed the Mayor had decided he preferred the quiet life and had given Ron belated permission to have the dog with him during such ceremonies.