‘Mum, you really haven’t been listening to a word I’ve said, have you?’ Anne said with barely concealed impatience. ‘Bob’s running the farm. He’s got the summer harvest and autumn ploughing to organise, and although he’s been excused National Service, he still has to attend the local Territorial Army base several hours a week.’ Her voice softened. ‘But I’m sure he can arrange some time off around Christmas when things on the farm slow down.’

‘Christmas?’ Peggy squeaked. ‘But that’s months away and, God willing, your father could very well be home by then. He’ll be expecting to see all his family, and will be devastated if Bob’s not here.’

‘I know how disappointed you must be, Mum, but farming isn’t a nine to five sort of job, and Bob can’t leave everything to Vi and the German POW who’s asked to stay on.’

Anne had absolutely no idea of the depth of her mother’s disappointment. Peggy was getting crosser by the minute at being thwarted at every turn. All she wanted was to get her family back to Cliffehaven where they belonged.

‘At least none of that will affect my young Charlie – he’ll definitely be coming home once school term’s over,’ she said brightly. ‘I suppose he’ll travel with Sally, her little Harry and young Ernie?’

‘Oh, Mum. I’m so sorry,’ sighed Anne, her voice cracking with emotion. ‘But he’s refusing to leave. Aunt Vi, Sally, Bob and I have tried everything from blackmail to threats to make him change his mind, but he’s adamant he wants to stay here and get his school certificate. Although I think his place in the rugby team has more to do with it. You see, he’s been asked to join the Somerset Junior Fifteen, which is quite a coup.’

Peggy had the most awful lump in her throat which she couldn’t shift. Charlie had only just turned fourteen, which last year would have allowed him to finish school. But the government had raised the leaving age to fifteen only this year. It simply wasn’t fair. And it felt as if the world – and her family – was against her.

She wanted to cry, to beg Anne to try again to change Charlie’s mind, but she knew that no amount of cajoling, boxed ears or bribing would work on her youngest son, who from an early age had possessed the Reilly stubborn streak. Once he’d decided on something, nothing would shift him. In that way he was very much like his father and grandfather.

‘Is he there? Can I speak to him?’ she managed.

‘He left half an hour ago to catch the school bus,’ said Anne.

Peggy swallowed her tears and tried to be brave, but her heart was aching with sorrow and she couldn’t think of a thing to say.