‘Oh, Montel. I don’t know what to say.’ Mags’s anguish weakened her legs. She sat down on the only other chair in the room.

‘You don’t have to say anyzing. Just know that zee offer iz there for you.’

‘Thank you. It is possible that Harold could take everything, and I will need somewhere to live. But what if Susan wants to come home, after what has happened?’

‘We will sort that out, if it arizez. We won’t worry about it now. You see, you have nozing to worry about. I am here. Montel to the rescue.’

Mags couldn’t help but laugh, even though she really was deeply concerned over all that had been revealed to her – Harold, applying for and being granted power of attorney over her! He never ceased to amaze her. She knew, when marrying him, that she was in for a tough future, but she never dreamed that within weeks it would all fall apart, and in such circumstances. And what of Betsy? Oh, dear God, I promised to take her away from where Harold can do her harm. Now it is looking unlikely that I will be able to.

‘Mags, I need to hold you. You look so frightened and fragile. Everything iz crowding in your mind. I zink you are panicking. Please will you take zee baby and free me, so that I can help you.’

‘No, Montel. I cannot let you. I have to keep to what I said – I’m not ready. I want a friend, a good reliable friend. Can you be that to me, for now? Then, if anything happens in the future, we can . . . well, we can see how it all goes.’

‘I zink you are in denial. I zink it iz that you do have feelingz for me and they make you afraid. Pleaze don’t be. I would never hurt you.’

Somehow Mags knew this for certain. In Montel, she had found someone who would truly love her for herself. But although she knew she had strong feelings for him, she was afraid. It had been such a short time since she was betrayed by someone she’d thought to be her true love.

‘Do not add to all zee thingz you have to worry over, my Mags. I will not mention again my feelingz for you. Not until you come to me ready to accept my love and give me yourz. I just want you to know that it iz that I love you, and I will be here for you to catch you if you fall, and to rejoice with you when you are happy. Alwayz – and for everyzing – I will be by your side.’

‘Oh, Montel. That is a beautiful thing to say. You are a very special person and you do have a place in my heart. But—’

‘I know what thiz “but” iz. And I will respect it.’

They held each other’s gaze for a long moment. Mags felt peace enter her. No matter what happened in the future, she had one certainty: Montel would truly always be by her side, and she wanted it to be so.