‘You know that’s impossible,’ I said quietly. ‘You know what they said.’

‘I know that you’ll regret it if you don’t,’ she carried on. ‘I’m not suggesting you turn up on their doorstep, or even telephone. Just send a simple card with the return address for here, or your email written inside.’

The sneaky thing. She was going to use a Christmas card to make her request fit the list.

‘That way,’ she carried on, ‘should they need to, or want to, they’ll be able to get in touch.’

I shook my head.

‘You wanted me to write the Wish List with you, Hattie,’ she said firmly, ‘and this is the one thing I want to add to it more than anything else. I know you’ve told me that you can never forgive them and, given everything you’ve been through, I do understand, but if you move to the other side of the world without telling them I really think it’ll be game over for you and them, for ever.’

I sat back in my chair and let out a long slow breath. I thought I had been so clever making Dolly join in with her own additions, but now it seemed she had pulled me into the web along with her. What a clever woman she was.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The sky above Wynbridge the next morning was slate-grey to match my mood as Dolly and I set off for school, after a fortifying breakfast of honey-sweetened porridge, carrying a thermos apiece. Apparently, I was the newest Wynbridge Infants recruit whether I wanted to be or not.

We hadn’t walked far before my phone pinged and a message from Jonathan showed up. I read it quickly and fired one back to tell him all was well, but that I was still struggling to get a signal. I made no mention of my temporary new job. My head was still whirring with everything my brief time in the town had stirred up and, as I didn’t know exactly what to say, I thought it best not to say anything at all.

‘If I could just ask you to sign in?’ asked Alison Anderson, the school’s receptionist. ‘And wear this lanyard, then Dolly can take you through to the staffroom. It’s lovely to see you again, Hattie.’

Alison was the epitome of efficiency, running not only the school office with extraordinary proficiency but the staff as well. Nothing ever fazed her and she always had a solution to every problem. Mr Matthews often joked that the school would descend into chaos if she ever phoned in sick but we all knew he actually meant it.

‘And don’t worry, all your checks are up to date,’ she added before turning her attention to the queue of parents waiting to try her patience even before the morning bell had rung. ‘I’ve put all the paperwork on Mr Matthews’ desk.’