Our eyes met and all I could offer was a shrug. I mean, I agreed. I was just as bemused by the idea of Adam possibly being related to Norman as he was. But what could I do? Trying to leave the past behind by ignoring it didn’t really appear to be working for me anymore so my options were wearing pretty thin.

By the time the receptionist, the duty manager and a couple of helpful passersby had managed to extricate the girls from the revolving-door cavity (freeing them to come inside, but conveniently leaving Adam parked at an awkward angle on the outside), it was clear the Premier Inn Bournemouth wasn’t going to win any points on Trip Advisor for being mobility-scooter friendly.

Leonard had sat back watching the action unfold with some delight, and he looked almost disappointed when Adam’s moment of freedom arrived, although one of the girls had somehow managed to spike him in the shin with her six-inch heel, so that cheered him up a bit. I was distracted by the three girls giggling and taking photos of Adam through the glass, which I vaguely considered might be in preparation for a potential law suit, so I jumped a bit when there was a very close hiss at my shoulder.

“Er, Sadie, I think it might be time to go now.” Leonard was darting glances around the foyer and making motioning jerks of his head.

“What? Why, what’s...?”

Before I could get any further Leonard put his hand very firmly around my elbow and started steering me toward our pile of luggage.

“Yes, definitely, Sadie. We need to leave right now, my dear.”

I didn’t understand what the sudden urgency to leave was at first, but then I saw what he had seen. A housekeeping trolley was parked just outside the lifts, piled high with a veritable mountain of yellow-and-green-stained towels. Even from across the foyer I caught a waft of something pungent and I saw the duty manager stop midconversation with a departing guest and frown, raising his nose to sniff the air.

The possible financial ramifications didn’t bother me half as much as the potential confrontation when the receptionist and the housemaid started comparing notes, so I decided Leonard was right, as usual. It was definitely time to leave.

Leonard and I made eye contact and he raised one bushy eyebrow. I tipped my head and saw the ghost of a smile pass over his face. I felt my own mouth twitch ever so slightly. Ahh, there she is. Without another word passing between us we grabbed a couple of bags each and walked over to Norman, who was still making signals through the glass to Adam. Leonard grabbed one of his arms, I took hold of a handful of shirt, and we turned him in the direction of the revolving doors.

Amid the “Mum, what, what’s the rush?” And the “But I think maybe I should go to the loo first,” we hotfooted through the merry-go-round of madness and out to the world on the other side. Bournemouth wasn’t quite Narnia, but it’d have to do.