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There was the briefest pause and then, as Margaret struggled for words, Mrs O’Brien stepped forward to fold her into her chest ‘How brave you are,’ she said into her hair ‘All this wayaway from your familyWell, don’t you worry We’ll look after you now You hear rand’

She felt those hands patting her back, smelt the faint, aret did not knoas more surprised, she or Joe, when she burst into tears

Thethe door to the infirrip on his shoulder ‘Where the bloody hell have you been, Marine?’ His face was furious

‘I’ve been – I’ve been looking for someone, sir’ Nicol had exhaustedwas the flight deck

‘Look at the state of you! What the hell’s happened to you, ht deck Not a bloody great hole where you should have been’

‘I’m sorry, sir--’

‘Sorry? Sorry? What the bloody hell would happen if everyone decided not to turn up, eh? Look at you! You smell like a bloody brewery’

Froet outside on to the decks There, he could check with one of the WSOs whether Frances had left the ship For all he knew sheto step off

‘I’m shocked at you, Nicol You of all people--’

‘I’o’

The ed ‘Go? You’ve got to go?’

‘Urgent business, sir’ And then he ducked under thein his ears as he took the steps three at a time

Avice saw theun turret, her hat pinned tightly to her head so that it wouldn’t bloay, and watched the little group below Her e turquoise feather in it It looked curiously ostentatious areys Her father, his own hat wedged low on his brow as he preferred it, kept glancing around hi for In thehow on earth they would ever find his, the scenery behind the dockyard What was the point when she kne that she would not be staying?

‘Radley Mrs Avice Radley’

Avice took a deep breath, brushed the front of her jacket and plank, her back as straight as that of a uise the aardness in her walk

‘There she is! There she is!’ She heard her ! Look! Look! We’re here!’

In front of her, where the gangplank nised fro lectures was ambushed at the bottom of the steps and swept into the ar and the hat she had been holding in her left hand, and was locked to hi his hair, his face pressed to hers, as they occasionally broke off to touch noses and et past the to look away as the couple were passionately reacquainted

‘Avice!’ Herup and down on the other side of thehtly coloured cork ‘There she is, Wilf! Look at our girl!’

Finally, the soldier realised he was holding up the other brides, uttered a half-hearted apology, then swept his girl off to the side You kno it is, he had grinned

Oh, yes, Avice replied I kno it is

Her mother ran the last few steps to , it’s so good to see you! How about this, eh? Nice surprise?’

Her father moved forward and held her ‘Yoursince you left Couldn’t bear the thought of you two on bad terms on opposite sides of the world How’s that for devotion, eh, Princess?’

There was such love and pride on both their faces Avice realised, with horror, that if they carried on her face would cru a new cerise suit ‘Which one was the prostitute? Muot Mrs Carter’s letter’

‘Where’s Ian?’ Herinto the faces of the ht his family?’

‘You’d better not have lost my shoes,’ said Deanna, under her breath ‘I want them out of your case before you disappear’

‘He won’t be here,’ Avice said

‘He’s never been sent off already I thought the loved hand pressed to her face ‘Well, thank goodness we ca tofroht thee’