For now, Miriam had to admit defeat. She checked the mail every day, in the hope that there would be some news, but none came.

A week after Annette and Antonias had disappeared, Miriam sat alone in Fredo’s study; she’d had an idea. Maybe, just maybe, all of Annette’s family were as greedy as her. She searched for Annette’s address book and found it, which meant she had the names and addresses of all her family members.

Annette hadn’t kept in touch with any of them, as far as Miriam knew, apart from the odd Christmas card, but it was better than doing nothing.

Miriam picked up her pen and started writing letter after letter to the names in the address book. She explained that Annette had been grief-stricken after Marias’s death and, feeling alone in her grief, had wandered off.

Miriam wrote in her letters that she needed to know that both Annette and Antonias were with them, and safe. She expressed her concern and, more to the point, she offered a reward for any information.

Miriam felt she had done her best; all she had to do now was wait and pray. Surely one of them would take pity on her and write back?

She was riddled with guilt and felt that what had happened had perhaps been of her own doing. Maybe she should have given Annette more money.

Would she ever see or hear from little Antonias again? Where was he? Was he safe?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gillian Godden is a Northern-born medical secretary for NHS England. She spent thirty years of her life in the East End of London, hearing stories about the local striptease pubs. Now in Yorkshire, she is an avid reader who lives with her dog, Susie.

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First published in Great Britain in 2022 by Boldwood Books Ltd.

Copyright © Gillian Godden, 2022

Cover Design by Colin Thomas

Cover Photography: Colin Thomas

The moral right of Gillian Godden to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologise for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.