‘To me?’ Maggie looked astounded. Most of the people who visited always fell in love with Kitty because she was the prettiest. She then surveyed the couple solemnly and a big smile broke out on her face. ‘So if I came to live with you, would you be my mummy and daddy?’

‘Yes, I suppose we would,’ Mrs Dawes answered. ‘Do you think you might like that?’

Maggie thought about it for a minute. It would mean leaving Sunday and Tom and all her friends, but then it would be lovely to have a real mummy and daddy of her very own. As she thought of it she began to tremble with excitement, but then as it began to sink in she asked, ‘Would I be able to come back and see everybody sometimes?’

It was Mr Dawes who answered with a smile, ‘I don’t see why not. We don’t live all that far away, as it happens.’

‘Hmm.’ Maggie imagined how jealous Kitty would be when she told her that the Daweses had chosen her and she beamed. ‘In that case I think I’d like that.’

Sunday suddenly panicked. Everything was happening a little too quickly for her liking.

‘Perhaps Tom and I could take you to visit Mr and Mrs Daweses’ home so that you can see it before you make up your mind?’ she intervened.

‘All right.’ Maggie frowned then as something occurred to her. ‘Will I share my bedroom? And do you have a dog?’

Again, it was Mr Dawes who answered. ‘Yes, you will have your very own room and no, we don’t have a dog at the minute but I dare say we could get you one.’ He knew that his wife wouldn’t be very keen on that idea, but if it made the child happy, the way he saw it, it was a small price to pay.

‘In that case, I’d like to come and see your house,’ Maggie informed him, then bursting to tell Kitty and the others the exciting news she skipped from the room leaving the grown-ups to arrange the visit.

Chapter Six

Maggie could hardly wait to impart her exciting news to the rest of the children, but if she had been hoping for jealous tantrums she was sadly disappointed.

‘A new mummy and daddy?’ said Kitty, who was cuddling her birthday doll, Annabelle. ‘That’s nice for you.’

Maggie was put out at her reaction. ‘It’s better than nice. They chose me because they liked me the best,’ she said with tears in her eyes. ‘And I’m going to have a bedroom all to myself and Mr Dawes – I mean my new daddy – said I could have a dog too!’

‘That’s nice,’ Kitty repeated as Ben approached them.

‘What’s this I’m hearin’ then?’ he enquired of Maggie, ruffling her hair. She hastily told him and he whistled through his teeth. ‘Well, that’s brilliant, ain’t it? I hope you’ll be happy, little ’un.’

‘Of course I shall be happy,’ Maggie answered waspishly, knocking her wobbly front tooth back into place with her tongue. She was hoping it would come out soon because Sunday had told her that when it did, if she left it under her pillow, the tooth fairies would come and take it and leave her a new shiny penny. She hoped they knew their way to her new home. At four and a half years old she really had no comprehension of the enormity of what was about to happen to her. She was due to move from everything and everyone that was familiar to her! However, for now she could only gloat because the Daweses had chosen her to be their little girl rather than Kitty.