Approximately eighteen things were happening at once. The peas were coming to the boil. So was the gravy. The chicken needed to come out of the oven, because the roast parsnips and roast potatoes that were bathing in its fat were starting to get a little too crispy. Ashley was calling to him from the living room because there was something on the television she wanted him to see.

The phone was ringing. Kieran answered it.

'Hello?'

'Hello, could I please speak with Kieran? Kieran Whyteleafe?'

'Speaking. How can I help you?'

'Ah hello Kieran. I don't know if you remember me. We spoke some time ago. My name is Ernest Clarke.'

'Ernest. Yes of course I remember you. From the Red Lion in Crown Passage. Could you hold on just a moment? Ashley can you give me a hand? How are you keeping Ernest?'

'Good thank you. I thought I'd lost your telephone number. I don't remember so well these days. My mind isn't as sharp as it used to be. Fortunately my son Terry - you remember him?'

'Yes, yes.'

'He found the piece of paper you wrote it down on. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to make this telephone call.'

Ashley came into the kitchen and started to work on the lunch, taking the peas off the boil and checking the oven.

'I'm glad you called,' Kieran continued. 'So what can I do you for?'

'Well son. You remember you asked me about Spireclaw? You asked me what it meant.'

'Yes, and you told me it was a manoeuvre to take five planes for repairs. During the Battle of Britain.'

'That's right. But there's something else.'

'What?'

'Something I didn't remember until now. Spireclaw wasn't just a manoevre. Well, it started off as that. But Squadron Leader Appleby. He's the one who came up with the name. He retired a few years later and built a bungalow on the south coast. Must have been the late 1940's. Spireclaw was the name of the bungalow. It was the name he gave it.'

Kieran nearly dropped the receiver. It took a moment for Ernest's words to sink in. 'Where on the south coast? Do you know which town.'

'It's a village. Selsey Bill. It's near Bognor Regis, just the other side of Chichester.'

'Do you have the address?'

'I'm sorry son, I don’t. I never went down there myself.'

'Ernest, you've been a terrific help. You have no idea how helpful you've been.'

'Not a problem my friend. Perhaps one day you'll tell me what this is all about.'

'I will. I promise. Goodbye Ernest.'

'Goodbye then.'

Kieran hung up the phone. 'Ashley, you aren't going to believe this.'

Ashley had put out all the vegetables onto plates and was busy carving the chicken. 'Believe what?'

'That was Ernest, from the Red Lion.'

'And?'

'And Spireclaw wasn't just a manoevre. It's a bungalow on the south coast.'

Ashley stopped carving the chicken. 'A bungalow?'

'Yes. Squadron Leader Appleby, Ernest's err...'

'Squadron Leader.'

'Yeah, he retired to Selsey Bill and built a bungalow. He named it Spireclaw!'

Ashley, smiling from ear to ear, dropped the carving knife and fork onto the sideboard, launched herself across the kitchen and flung her arms around Kieran's neck. She kissed him on the mouth. 'That's totally great! So when are we going?'