‘Father, you make me sound like a menace to the female sex. They’re too young anyway.’

Even John was laughing now. ‘But what about the teachers?’

‘Ah, well,’ Luke said, grinning, ‘I’d have had Matt with me, so I couldn’t have got into much trouble, could I?’

‘You’d have found a way,’ his father muttered darkly.

‘I forbid this visit anyway.’ Louise glared at her two younger sons. ‘Where’s your common sense? If you go asking questions at her former school, how long do you think it will be before her aunt is told that someone is asking questions about her niece?’

‘I do see your point,’ Matt admitted. ‘Perhaps it would be unwise.’

‘It most certainly would!’

‘Your mother’s right, as usual,’ their father said. ‘I believe we should drop this whole thing. We have found out all we can, and if we continue we could cause the girl more trouble. I feel badly about it already.’

The discussion that followed was lively and heated at times, with Luke and Matt very reluctant to give up, but in the end it was agreed that they could do no more at the moment. Frustrating as it was, they would have to wait and hope that something came to light about Jenny’s whereabouts.

Their mother was clearly relieved at the joint decision. ‘It is a distressing story and I am not proud of our part in causing her more anguish, but it is done. She has told Edna she is safe. We must accept that.

Jenny had soon recovered from the shock of last week. It was hard enough adjusting to this life without also feeling that she had to run and hide.

‘Pontoon!’ Ma declared.

Jenny, seeing that the cards in her hand added up to twenty-five, gave the elderly woman a suspicious glance. ‘I’m bust. Are you cheating, Ma?’

‘Who, me?’ She was a picture of innocence.

Jenny looked pointedly around the small room. ‘I don’t see anyone else here.’

‘Don’t be a sore loser,’ Ma cackled, shuffling the cards very expertly for someone with rheumatism and then handing them back to Jenny. ‘Your deal. Just one more hand and then I’ll have that bottle of stout you’ve got hidden in the sideboard.’

‘You don’t miss a thing, do you?’ Jenny couldn’t help laughing. So much for her surprise treat. ‘You were asleep when I came in with the shopping today.’

‘I was just resting my eyes.’ She tapped the table with her cards. ‘Twist me one.’

After doing that, Jenny looked at her own. Eighteen – she’d better stick.

‘Twenty.’ Ma laid her cards face up. ‘Can you beat that?’

‘You know I can’t.’

‘Hmm.’ Ma winked at her. ‘Remind me some time to teach you how to deal from the bottom of the pack.’

‘You were cheating!’ Jenny roared. ‘Good job we weren’t playing for money.’