‘Why would I think there was something funny about you keeping in touch with him?’ he asked, but his eyes seemed cold and he didn’t flash that brilliant smile of his.

‘Well, you don’t seem your usual self,’ she said. ‘But then, I’m not exactly my old self either, what with the bald patch and Petal being tucked in here with me. Say hullo to Uncle Charley,’ she said to the child, who was sitting on the end of her bed doing some colouring.

‘I’m not her uncle,’ he said.

‘Well, I’m not her aunt either, really, but I hope she’ll always think of us that way and come to stay with us when we get married.’

Charley didn’t respond, and the brooding silence was as startling as a cold shower.

Molly couldn’t think of any reason why he should be like this and she was cut to the quick.

‘Why don’t you go out the door, turn round and come in again as the Charley I know,’ she said, hoping that would break the ice.

‘I don’t think I can do that now,’ he said.

‘What, go out and come in again?’

‘No, I mean, get married,’ he said. ‘I said it without thinking it through. It was a bad idea. I have to work away too much to settle down.’

‘But you said you were going to get work in Ashford or Hastings,’ Molly said in puzzlement.

‘Yes, I know. I didn’t think that through either. It wouldn’t work.’

She looked hard at him. It crossed her mind that he couldn’t be the kind, lovable Charley she knew but an imposter who looked like him. Her Charley would’ve swept her into his arms, wanted to know every last detail about what she’d been through. He certainly wouldn’t be telling her he’d had second thoughts about their future.

‘Are you trying to tell me it’s over?’ she asked, though she didn’t believe he could be.

His eyes wouldn’t meet hers, his mouth was set in a straight line and, all at once, she realized that was exactly what he’d been trying to say.

‘Yes, I guess so,’ he muttered, hanging his head. ‘It’s just too hard with you being down here and me in London.’

She wanted to cry, to tell him she loved him and he was making a big mistake. But she wasn’t going to allow herself to do that. Firstly, it would upset Petal; she might even think it was her fault. Secondly, she had too much pride to beg.

‘Just go now, Charley,’ she said firmly. ‘I thought we had something special. It seems I was wrong. Silly of me.’

‘I’m sorry, Molly,’ he said, and it came out like a whimper. ‘I was never the man you thought I was. It’s better this way.’

He left quickly then, and Molly lay back on the pillows and tried to smile at Petal. ‘Men, eh!’ she said. ‘Looks like I had a lucky escape from that one.’

Petal moved up the bed and lay down beside Molly. ‘You’ve still got Uncle George, and he’s much nicer than that man.’

George came in later to say goodbye, as he was driving home in the morning.

‘You’ve been crying!’ he exclaimed, noting her puffy eyes. ‘Is your head hurting?’

She had been crying. Petal had gone with a nurse to help with the tea trolley and, as soon as she had, Molly found she couldn’t hold back her hurt and disappointment about Charley, and she cried buckets. ‘No, my head is okay – sore, but not too bad. It’s just Petal. I can’t bear to think of her being put in a children’s home.’

‘Nor me,’ he agreed. ‘It’s not right after what she’s been through. Nice foster parents would be all right, though. I wondered if I could put out some feelers in Sawbridge when I get back. It will be in the papers tomorrow that she’s been found, and people in the village will be very happy about that.’

Molly smiled weakly at him. He meant what he said. He always did. And he was right: foster parents in Sawbridge would be ideal. Petal would see her old friends and teachers again, and be accepted, too, which might not happen as readily elsewhere.

‘I’ll suggest it to the social worker,’ she said. ‘And pass on your telephone number to her.’

‘Is that all that’s upsetting you?’ asked George then, picking up her hand and playing with her fingers. ‘Did Charley come to visit?’

‘I should have mentioned him in my letters,’ she said, realizing that Ted and Evelyn Bridgenorth must have told him she had a boyfriend. She hoped they hadn’t said it was a serious romance. ‘I didn’t say anything because I suspected it wouldn’t last, and I was right. He just told me he made a mistake thinking we had a future together, he works away too much. Or maybe he just didn’t like my bald patch. Anyway, it’s over.’

He looked at her in puzzlement for a moment or two.

‘I’m so sorry, Molly,’ he said. ‘You might not have said anything to me, but I got the idea from the Bridgenorths he was important to you. All I can say is that he’s an idiot and doesn’t know a real gem when he finds one.’

‘I think I saw something in him that wasn’t really there,’ she said glumly. ‘His timing is terrible, though. You’d think he’d have waited till I was out of hospital. He didn’t even ask me anything about what happened at Mulberry House.’

George sat on the bed and scooped her into his arms, rocking her gently for a few moments. He smelled really lovely, of fresh air and some kind of perfumed soap. She didn’t want the hug to end, even if it was making her feel weepy again.

‘Come home for a few days and rest?’ he suggested after a few minutes. ‘My mum’s offered to put you up, and you could see your mum, too. I rang her this morning to give her a progress report. She sent her love and said how much she wanted to see you.’

‘That sounds lovely, but I’ll have to talk to the Bridgenorths. It’s coming up for their busy time.’

‘I think you’ll find they’ll insist you have a break,’ he said. ‘They are very fond of you, Molly. They told me last night that you are the perfect employee – adaptable, good-natured, intuitive and totally reliable. They believe you could manage a hotel yourself with just a little more experience. Does that cheer you up?’

‘You cheer me up, George,’ she said, and kissed his cheek. ‘You’ve been the best of friends.’

George turned to her, intending to kiss her on the lips, but Petal came running in just then and hurled herself at him, forcing him to turn away from Molly and pick the child up.

‘I was telling the nurse I had a ride on your motorbike,’ Petal said excitedly. ‘Can I have another ride soon?’

Molly smiled. Petal appeared almost back to normal today, but of course her happy mood might end as suddenly as it had come. But it was good to see her trusting enough to perch on George’s lap. He had a way with children. In fact, now she thought about it, he had a way with everyone.

‘I can’t make any promises, because I’ve got to go home tomorrow and be a policeman again,’ he said, stroking Petal’s hair tenderly in a way that made Molly want to cry again. ‘But I’m hoping I can take you for a ride very soon.’

When George left a little later, he bent over to kiss Molly on the lips, lingering just long enough for Molly to feel a little flutter inside her.

‘Look after yourself and, if you want to come home for a holiday, just ring.’

‘I never said how marvellous it was that you rode all that way to rescue me,’ she said. ‘Thank you so much.’

‘You did very well just on your own.’ He smiled. ‘Picking locks, walloping Miss Gribble and getting Petal away from there. Just wait till I get back and tell the lads at the station.’

‘I wish –’ she broke off, afraid to say what had popped into her head.

‘You wish what?’ he asked.

‘Wishes don’t come true if you tell them. And you’d better get going before the nurse chases you out. Visiting time is over.’

He had only been gone ten minutes when a nurse came in and told her there was a telephone call for her in sister’s office.

Molly hurried there, wondering if it would be her mother, but it was Evelyn Bridgenorth. ‘I just wanted to tell you I’ve asked the Children’s Department if Petal can stay with us until they find the right permanent home for her,’ she said.‘