‘Good. I will see you tomorrow morning, then.’

‘Lucien—’ He’d started to walk away but now he turned back. ‘We’re doing the right thing.’

‘I pray you are right,’ he said. I wanted to hold him, but something stopped me reaching out. I let him walk away, his hand pressed to his side. Vincent must have landed a tough blow, for he seemed to hobble slightly. I let out a sigh of relief. Only a few more hours and then we could put this whole thing behind us. No need for him to be so cold, though. Lucien had reached the end of the road now, but he didn’t turn back. What of it if I had been with Vincent? We weren’t engaged then. I still wanted things to work out between us, of course I did, but if he was having second thoughts then so be it. I wasn’t going to beg him. The most important thing was that I got my new start. If I could make my way in London, I could do the same in Freetown. It would probably be easier, if anything. There was a whole boatload of people looking to begin afresh. Maybe other girls like me. I could get friendly with them. I’d pulled myself up out of St Giles once, I could do it again.

A wind whipped up and I realised I should get back inside. I couldn’t face the thought of sitting there with Vincent, though, and Barky would need a while to clean him up. I’d wait it out until he’d gone. As long as I stuck to the shadows, with my headscarf, I’d probably be all right.

I walked and walked in no particular direction, but it wasn’t long before I found myself at the top of Kingsway. For the first time I felt a serious pang at the thought of leaving it all behind. Sierra Leone was what I wanted but London was all I’d ever known. I went down High Holborn in the direction of St Paul’s, the tall spire calling to me. It was not too long ago that I’d been approaching it from Fleet Street as Lucien and I strolled arm in arm towards the Dog and Duck.