Along with the rest of the city, the pride of the Great Western Railway was being rebuilt. Charlotte wore a blue dress sprinkled with white daisies. Her hat was white and matched her peep-toe shoes. Once she’d bought her platform ticket she raced down the under pass and up the steps to platform 5. Janet and Geoffrey had left their respective schools for the August holidays and had met up at Salisbury station. They would both be on the same train. The train was late. Charlotte eyed her watch then glanced towards the cafeteria. Don’t bother, she told herself. The tea will be weaker, the bread greyer and the butter non-existent. Rationing had got worse not better. The train pulled into the station, steam growling from beneath the iron wheels and hissing from valves beneath the boiler. Her heart began to pound. She was looking forward to seeing her children again. This was going to be the best August ever. There was every chance that David would agree to the children not having to go back to school.
