Then, deciding it was too chilly out here on deck, she took Michael inside, still pressing him to her, as though she would never let him go.

Back in Blackpool, Bob had come home from his outing full of the joys of spring and in possession of two packets of fish and chips for him and Ellen, only to find the note propped up against the kettle.

“By!” he muttered. While he understood that Ellen needed to get to Maddy, he was deeply hurt at the manner of her going. “Well, I never! What was so urgent that she couldn’t have waited till I got back!”

He dumped the soggy bags from the chippie on the table, his appetite gone. What with Maddy’s sudden disappearance, now Ellen’s, he didn’t know whether he was coming or going.

Going slowly upstairs, he wandered through the rooms, and where there had been Ellen and the baby, there was now the most awful silence.

Standing by the door he felt incredibly lonely, wondering if he would ever see them again. It might have been better if Ellen had never come back at all, he thought, because this time, what with Maddy and the baby and all, he’d miss them more than ever.

Half an hour later, he was still there, sitting on the bed, reliving all the pleasant times they’d enjoyed. “By! That little lad did enjoy the beach, didn’t he, eh? Squealed every time he saw a wave come in, and when we took him for a trip to the Pleasure Beach in his pushchair, the look on his little face was pure magic.”

It was that particular memory that broke the old chap’s resolve, because now he could not hold back his emotions. He laughed and cried, but after a time he began to deal with the knowledge that he was on his own again. “You’ll manage all right, Bob,” he told himself sternly. “You’ve done it before, and you can do it again.” All the same, it was a painful thing.

Surprised to hear the phone ringing, he went down the stairs two at a time. That’ll be our Ellen, he thought, and his heart lifted. She’ll be full of apologies, same as always.

Snatching up the phone, he said straightaway, “Why didn’t you wait, pet? I can tell you it were a bit of a shock finding that-” He was cut short when a strange voice asked to speak with Ellen.

“Who is that?” he asked.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s a friend of hers… Raymond.”

“Oh yes, I’ve heard her speak about you. But Ellen’s not here, I’m afraid. She’s gone away.”

There was a brief silence, before Raymond asked, “Do you know where she’s gone?”

“She’s gone to see her friend, Maddy. I’ve no idea how long she’ll be away. She’s always been a bit of a gypsy, has our Ellen – teks off at the drop of a hat, and sometimes you won’t clap eyes on her for years.”

“I see.” Another brief pause. “I don’t suppose you’ve got a telephone number or an address where I can reach her, have you?”

“Yes, I think so. My granddaughter did write something down. Hang on a minute and I’ll get it for you.”

Going to the telephone table, he picked up the address book and opened it, astonished to see that the very page with Maddy’s contact number and address on it had been torn out. Now, why would she do that? Why didn’t she just copy it down? He thought it an odd thing to do, tearing out the page like that.

Returning to the phone he told Raymond, “I’m sorry, but she seems to have taken the address and phone number with her.”

“And have you no other way of contacting her?”

“’Fraid not, no. But she left me a note to say she’d be in touch as soon as she got settled. When she does, I’ll tell her you rang, and I’ve no doubt she’ll get back to you.”

“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”

The conversation was ended, leaving Bob even more confused by his granddaughter’s action. “She must have been in a terrible hurry to rip out the page like that,” he muttered irritably. “Seems she hadn’t even got the time it would take to jot down the information.”

He shook his head in frustration. “That lass is a mystery to me. I never have been able to fathom her. Too much like her mother, that one!”

It was nearly midnight when Ellen disembarked at East Cowes. After traveling all day, with a heavy baby, an even heavier bag, and a pushchair, she was exhausted, but keeping going on pure adrenaline. Fortunately, a kindly steward from the ferry helped her find a taxi, recommending a good boardinghouse along the coast at Ryde, eight miles away.

“It’s called Seaview House,” he told her. “I’ve used it many a time myself when family visit. The landlady there loves kids, so you’ll be fine. She has fourteen grandchildren herself, scattered all over the island. Off you go, love – I’ll phone her if you like, let her know you’re on your way. She’s a nightbird, so she’ll still be up. What name shall I say? Mrs. Drew? I’ll do that right away. Have a lovely holiday, won’t you. See you on the return trip!” And off he went to make the call, after giving the taxi driver the full details.

Ellen was a bit anxious about whether there would be vacancies at Seaview House, and she confided this in the taxi driver, who told her: “It should be fine, love. The season hasn’t really got going properly yet.” This comforted the young woman, as she began to rehearse the story she would tell.

Ryde seemed like a beautiful place, from what Ellen could see in the back seat of the taxi in the middle of the night. Her senses quickened with jubilation. She had really done it! Got away and covered her tracks.

Mrs. Simpson was a friendly, barrel-shaped woman wearing a large green dressing gown and with a cigarette between her fingers. She helped Ellen out of the taxi and into her little office off the main hall of the hotel. Ellen had her story ready.

“I’ll need a room for at least a month,” she told Mrs. Simpson. “I’ve just gone through a nasty divorce. The house was sold, everything is gone. But I did secure a decent settlement. So now, I’m here to have a little holiday and to decide a future for my baby and myself.”

“Divorces are sad things.” The large woman spoke from experience. “One of my own daughters has just split from her husband and it’s heartbreaking for the children. You do right to take a breather. All I need is for you to let me know what you decide, just so’s I can organize my bookings. But there’s no hurry. Take your time, and enjoy the island. And now let me show you and the young feller-me-lad to your room. It’s a nice big one, with a cot and its own bathroom, so you should be in your element. I can let you have it at a special weekly off-season rate, too!”

“Oh, thank you,” Ellen said gratefully, following the landlady’s broad rear up to the first landing.

“There’s a kettle in your room and I’ll bring you up some leftover sandwiches from supper. Just let me know if the baby needs anything.” Flinging open the door of No. 3, she ushered Ellen inside. It was perfect.

A month should be plenty of time to work out our future, Ellen thought tiredly. By then, her little note should have done its work, and the dust would have settled.

She fully realized that the note she had delivered so callously, was like a signed death warrant. But that was exactly what she wanted because with Maddy alive, her chances of hanging on to Michael were slim to none.

Now, she simply wanted Maddy out of the way for good. After all, Maddy had caused her own problems, whereas the baby had done nothing wrong.

With that in mind, and the child secure with her, she hardened her heart to her friend the Songbird’s fate.

Not for one moment, did she give any regard to the possibility that, one day, Michael might discover the terrible thing she had done to his mother.