The war is now in its third year and although nothing can dent the fierce patriotic spirit of Henrietta's friends even they have their anxious moments. The indomitable Lady B who, at seventy, tries to enlist in the A.T.S. can barely face the thought of life without elastic. But elastic, along with coal, meat and silk stockings are soon forgotten in the battle over the British Restaurant and the endlessly ingenious and distracting fund-raising events from the Red Cross Bowling Tournament which Lady B recklessly enters with Henrietta in tow ('It will be unfortunate for our partners, but good for their self control') to the Croquet Doubles in which the Admiral's wife takes part even though she has just learnt of the death of her son. When an inspiring W.V.S. dignitary addresses her wilting audience of housewives as 'the army that Hitler forgot' she was speaking no more than the truth.