Jonty had leaned across the table and patted her cheek. ‘You don’t need exams to be a farmer’s wife, nor a course in business studies,’ he had said. ‘In fact all you need is a suitable farmer, preferably one called Jonty Bell. And us Bells would take good care of your gran, you know that, don’t you? She’d be looked after like a queen, with no worries about rent or ice cream parlours or Mr Payne not being the pushy sort. I know I can’t give you much right now, but one of these days I’ll be offering to share all my worldly goods with you, so don’t go doing anything foolish. Promise?’

‘I’ll promise not to do anything foolish, but I don’t mean to be anyone’s wife until I’ve had a career of my own and a lot of fun,’ Tess had said. ‘And besides, what about this Melissa girl? Haven’t you offered her your hand and your heart? As well as the rest of your gorgeous body, of course.’

Jonty had laughed. ‘She’s just a friend,’ he had said airily, just as his train steamed into the platform.

Tess had jumped to her feet and grabbed the lightest of Jonty’s bags. ‘No more tomfoolery or you’ll miss another train,’ she had said briskly. ‘Come along, Jonty, let’s see if we can get you a corner seat; not that it matters much because Crewe is your first change, and that’s only thirty minutes away.’ They had reached the train, Tess handing over her penny platform ticket to be clipped, and had managed to get Jonty a corner seat despite the train’s being crowded. Jonty had put his haversack on the worn upholstery, then hopped down on to the platform again and pecked her cheek.

‘Don’t forget that my offer was serious,’ he’d said huskily. ‘You’re a grand girl.’

‘I know I am; I’m worth two of you,’ Tess had joked breathlessly. ‘If I go down to the box on the corner at eight o’clock this evening will you telephone, just to let me know you’ve arrived safely and everything’s all right at the farm?’

‘Of course I will,’ Jonty had said, and was beginning to remind Tess to thank Albert once again for his hospitality when a porter had come along the platform slamming doors and Jonty had had to leap back into his carriage. Almost at once the train had begun to move and Tess, waving until it was out of sight, had felt suddenly bereft. She was really fond of Jonty; he would probably always be her best friend, and it had been very good of him to leave the farm and come home with her, but she could scarcely expect him to stay on once he knew Gran to be out of danger. And there was, after all, little he could do to help her with her most pressing problem, which was finding accommodation, for when the landlord repossessed the flat in a couple of weeks she would have to live in cheap lodgings until she found somewhere they could afford.