‘Why, I reckon you should come home with me, love. I can put you up and you’ll be quite safe while you look for a job for yourself.’

Crikey, I never saw that coming. This could be the luckiest break of my life … or a really bad idea.

Gina studied Mary Hathersage, the upward creases round her kindly eyes, just like Uncle Tom had; her respectable hat and light coat over a flowered frock – the sort of garments Dora would call ‘good’. She appeared completely genuine.

Aye, but so do I and the police are after me. But what better place to lay low than in the company of a respectable elderly lady?

‘Have you room for me?’ Gina asked. ‘It’s that kind of you, but I wouldn’t want to put you out.’

‘Oh, it’s no bother, love,’ said Mary. ‘My sister, Ruth, and me, we have a little guesthouse in St Annes. We can accommodate you, no trouble.’

‘Well, that sounds lovely,’ said Gina. ‘I’m that grateful.’

‘Come on, then, Diana. Where’s your stuff?’

Gina gripped her shopping bag with the stolen items in it. ‘What stuff?’

‘Why, your luggage, of course, love. You weren’t thrown out with nowt but what you stood up in, surely?’

‘Oh, no … I … it was stolen. It was stolen between Skipton and here. Someone must have got off the train and taken it with them.’

Mary gave her an old-fashioned look. ‘Right … I’m sorry to hear that. So you’ve only that?’ She nodded at the shopping bag of stolen items.

‘Yes. I’m afraid so.’

‘Oh dear. We’ll have to see what we can do. Our train will be here directly so come along, Diana.’

Mary set off towards the platform for the St Annes train and Gina followed her, still wondering if this really was a sound move or absolute madness.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

‘I DON’T THINK I shall ever forgive Gina,’ said Ellen. ‘I think she must have gone mad.’

‘Aye, it’s hard to believe,’ said Tom. ‘Your mum is that upset. She’s taking it very much to herself, like it was her who brought up Gina to be so bad.’

‘Gina’s always been trouble, but that’s not Mum’s fault. And now she’s on the run from the police, possibly in possession of stolen goods. Oh, Uncle Tom, I’m very worried. What if she’s fallen in with other criminals, folk like – I don’t know – like bank robbers, with guns?’

‘Don’t fret, love. I think the police will find her before long and stop her getting into anything worse. Really, that would be the best thing – if she were to be arrested. After all, it’s what’s going to happen eventually anyway. The sooner she’s found, the sooner we can all sort it out. We’ve yet to hear her side of the story.’