‘Diana, love, I don’t think you’re very busy today, are you? Do you think you could take Mavis off to have a little fun?’ asked Ruth.

Gina wasn’t given to acts of kindness, but even she felt she could do better for the poor girl than the shops and sitting looking at the sea.

‘Yes, all right. We’ll think of summat fun, won’t we, Mavis?’ She gave Mavis a little wink and the girl smiled shyly.

When Gina was clearing away the breakfast plates, she said quietly to Mavis, ‘Make sure your dad gives you plenty of pocket money if we’re to have a fun day out.’

Mavis nodded silently and smiled again.

Ruth arranged that Mavis should be in the hallway at the time Gina finished her breakfast duties.

‘Right,’ said Gina, ‘where d’you fancy going?’

‘Dunno,’ whispered Mavis.

‘Ah, love, there’s bags to do,’ said Gina. ‘Have you ever been to Blackpool?’

Mavis shook her head but her eyes were shining.

‘Then you haven’t lived,’ said Gina. ‘C’mon, let’s go and live a little!’

The bus took the girls along the seafront, north to Blackpool. They travelled on the top deck and Mavis was delighted to see the sea all along their journey.

‘There’s no sea in Coventry,’ she volunteered after a largely silent journey.

‘We’ll go on the beach and have a walk on the sand if you want,’ suggested Gina.

‘Yes, please, Diana.’

So they went down onto the beach, and then Mavis wanted to paddle in the sea.

‘It smells strange,’ she said. ‘Sort of like fresh air but more so. It’s nice.’

‘You’ll have to tuck your frock in the legs of your knickers,’ suggested Gina. ‘And we haven’t got a towel so you’ll have to dry your feet in the air.’

By now Mavis was more talkative. ‘It’s freezing!’ she yelled as a big wave rolled in and slapped her goosepimply legs.

‘It’s always cold in the Irish Sea,’ laughed Gina. ‘They should call it the Coldish Sea instead.’

Mavis laughed at the terrible joke. Then, by the time her feet were dry, she was cold on this overcast day, so they headed off to a café to have hot chocolate to warm up. Then Gina suggested they went up the Tower, which she had once done with James.

All the time, Gina was keeping an eye open for Bella and also for James. She didn’t think she’d see James here, but she thought it wise to keep a lookout. Bella was unlikely to be at the places where visitors went, but she did work in Blackpool and so Gina was being careful.