Peter grinned. ‘Not until the Japs have been defeated, love,’ he drawled. ‘But I reckon it won’t be long before I’m turfed out of here to make way for someone worse off.’

‘But where would you go?’

‘I’m hoping I’ll be sent to Cliffe. A mate of mine’s just been discharged from there, and he reckons it’s better than a posh hotel. But nothing’s certain, darlin’. I could be sent miles away to a specialist hospital because they’re still worried about my head. But I haven’t had a funny turn for a whole two weeks, or been getting as many headaches, so they might just discharge me to some billet somewhere until the Japs surrender and I can catch a ship home.’

‘Then let’s hope you get sent to Cliffe so I can keep you close for a while longer,’ Rita said. She looked down at their entwined fingers and found the courage to voice her fears which had been growing ever since peace looked likely.

‘I can’t bear the thought of you leaving,’ she said in a rush. ‘Australia’s so far away and once you’ve gone I’ll probably never see you again.’ She looked up at him through her brimming tears. ‘It’s horribly selfish, I know, but I can’t help it.’

‘It’s not at all selfish, and although it’ll be good to see my family again and get into the Outback, I hate the thought of leaving you behind.’ He twisted round to face her, taking both hands. ‘But I’ve been thinking, Rita. Maybe … if you’d like to … and you’re not put off by my head not being quite right yet … We could get married – and then you could come with me,’ he finished in a rush.

Rita looked into his mesmerising eyes and thought she’d burst with happiness. ‘Married?’ she breathed.

He gripped her hands more tightly, his expression suddenly very serious. ‘Yes, Rita, married,’ he said firmly. ‘I can’t get on my knees because of all the flaming metal pins they put in me leg, but if you agree to marry this wreck of a man whose body might not be working quite right, but whose heart is full of love for you, then you’d make me the happiest man alive.’

Rita’s thoughts were in a whirl, her heart thudding and the sheer joy of the moment quite overwhelming. She wanted to accept his proposal – wanted to spend the rest of her life with this wonderful man who returned her love so deeply – but the thought of moving to the other side of the world and never seeing her father or Peggy and Ron again, made her hesitate.

‘What is it, Rita?’ he asked nervously. ‘Have I spoken out of turn?’