1939. All over Britain, children are being evacuated, and Eve Armstrong is headed for Devon. As the train pulls out of London she takes a last look at the crowded platform, the shabbily dressed evacuees, and a rude little boy sticking his tongue out. She's looking forward to a change of scene. And at first Eve is happier than ever at Drake's far. Not even her daily chores dampen her spirits. It's a different world that invites fresh starts, and so when Eve runs into the Boy from the station, Johnny Durrell, they call a truce and soon become firm friends. To begin with, the war seems a distant reality, bu whe new evacuee Connie Hale arrives from Liverpool, every day becomes a battle. Connie is very pretty and mature beyond her years, but she is also lazy, stuck- up and spiteful - and Johnny;s new best friend. As the conflict grows and Eve with it, will she fight for Johnny or concede defeat?