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‘You will?’ She was thrilled.

‘How else can I repay you?’

‘You’ll have to speak to my parents.’

‘Happily. I need to come to your father’s bar anyway, remember?’

She beamed her widest smile. ‘Everyone wants to meet you. Plus, we depend on all the military people now.’

‘Well, when I’m there, I’ll ask your father’s permission to help you with your studies.’

She sighed. ‘Papa doesn’t care much about my studies.’

‘No?’

‘Right now, he’s with Emman Falzon putting together plans for my marriage to his son Lawrenz.’

‘Which is when?’

‘Too soon. September.’

She heard him inhale sharply. ‘When you’re sixteen, you said? That’s awfully young, Valentina. My wife was young enough, and she was much older than you.’

‘Why did you marry her if you don’t love her?’ The question was out before she could stop herself.

He hesitated, taking in her expression, and finally replied, ‘Ask me that another time. I can’t think straight right now.’

She would ask again – it was the only question that mattered to her, ever since hearing that he was already married, and to a woman he didn’t sound as though he loved.

She knew she should encourage him to go back to the hospital, but she didn’t want the moment to end. They sat in a surprisingly pleasant silence, watching Valletta move around them. No one seemed to be paying them any attention.

‘In medieval times, it was common for girls to marry much younger. Sometimes they were betrothed in infancy,’ she told him.

He nodded, and then struggled to his feet suddenly. ‘Oops, they’ve found me.’

It was Maria the nurse and one of the teachers from Valentina’s school.

‘Lieutenant Fox!’ Maria was stern.

‘I know, I know… I’m sorry.’

Valentina looked between them. ‘Oh, let him have a few more minutes, please.’

Maria spoke in fast Maltese. ‘He’s not well enough to leave the ward. He needs to go back immediately.’

‘Why is he with you, Valentina?’ her teacher asked, frowning.

‘I was sitting here by myself, and then Peter came up the hill and saw me,’ she explained, noting how they both blinked in consternation at her informal use of his name. ‘We know each other from when he was pulled out of the water,’ she explained to her teacher, though this didn’t seem to appease the glint of accusation in the woman’s eye. She wanted to add, ‘And I’m in love with him. I wish he’d ask me to marry him before I’m forced to be with Lawrenz Falzon.’

But she didn’t.

Peter looked at her. ‘What are they saying, Valentina? I hope you’re not in trouble.’

‘No,’ she said, only slightly lying. This would surely get back to her parents, but she really didn’t care. ‘They want you back in the hospital.’

Over Maria’s shoulder Valentina now saw her father coming up the hill; he was on his way to pay the rent, she realised. He did this at the same time each week, air raids notwithstanding. Her insides roiled. Now she would be in trouble for sure. She turned back to Peter. ‘Will you go back now?’

‘I don’t want to languish in a hospital bed,’ he said and although she didn’t understand the word he used, she could guess at the meaning.