‘I want to kiss you now,’ I pointed out. ‘In due course, Jinny will be back.’

‘I hope so, coz. I’ve got no intention of being left alone with you in a flat for long.’

‘A kiss is not very much.’ I thought of Poley’s remark and smiled. ‘And even then it’s keeping things in the family.’

Hilda giggled. ‘It’s keeping things from being in the family way that I’m concerned with.’

This time she let me kiss her. She bit my lip gently.

‘Don’t you trust me?’ I asked her.

‘You – yes. Myself – yes. Us – no.’

‘That’s a delightful confession. Hilda, will you marry me?’

She smiled maliciously. ‘A proposal in – let me see – a week and three hours. And I allowed myself a month for the job. Most satisfactory.’