‘Hello, Jen.’ She smiled and offered her the bottle.

‘Hello, Maddy. Come in.’

‘What a nice little place you’ve got for yourself,’ she said as Jenny ushered her into the tiny sitting room.

‘Took a lot of saving to get it. Can I take your coat?’

‘Thank you.’ Madelaine took off her coat and Jenny hung it on a hook in the hall. ‘Bet you were surprised to see me turning up as Matron at the school, weren’t you?’ She smiled at Jenny.

‘I was gobsmacked, as the girls and boys all say,’ said Jenny. ‘And of course, I’d been off all last term, having my hip sorted. I’ve only been back at work since the beginning of this term so I hadn’t seen you. Can’t believe that’s only a couple of weeks ago, can you? Seems like much longer, what with everything that’s happened at the school.’ Jenny knew she was gabbling nervously. ‘Shall we have a drink?’

‘I think we should. That wine is chilled. Shall I open it for you?’

‘I can do it.’ Jenny went to her drinks trolley and reached for the corkscrew and two glasses, hoping she’d start to feel less awkward once she’d had a drink. She opened the bottle, poured some wine out and handed a glass to Maddy.

‘Cheers!’ Madelaine reached out her glass to clink it against Jenny’s. ‘Here’s to old friends.’

‘Getting older by the day.’ Jenny smiled, taking a large gulp.

‘I bet you wondered what had happened to me,’ said Madelaine.

‘I did. To be honest, as the years went on, and I didn’t hear from you, I thought you might be dead.’

‘Charmed, I’m sure!’ Madelaine raised her eyebrows. ‘But you understand why I needed a clean break? After what happened . . . well, let’s just say it took me a long time to get over it.’

‘I’m not surprised. What happened was terrible, Maddy, terrible.’ Jenny shuddered involuntarily. ‘And are you? Over it, I mean?’

‘No, but I also understand now that I never will be.’ She shrugged. ‘And somehow, that makes it better. Acceptance is the key. When I left Norfolk I was in a terrible state.’

‘I remember,’ Jenny said sombrely. ‘When you upped and went, without even saying goodbye, I didn’t know what to think.’

‘I blamed myself, you see. I should have known how bad it was. I was there and I didn’t stop it . . .’ Madelaine stared off into the distance.

‘No one knew how bad things were. How could you? It was one of them things that just got out of hand. So, where did you go when you left?’

‘To Australia. I had a cousin in Perth who offered me a place to stay for a while. It wasn’t a good time. I had a breakdown and ended up in the psychiatric wing of the local hospital. I was there for nine months. I had electro-shock treatment, the lot.’

‘Ooh, Maddy, how awful. I wish I’d have known. I could have written to you or something.’