‘Please, Mary and Ruth,’ she said pathetically, ‘it’s all been very trying and I think I’d like to have a lie-down.’

‘’Course, love. I’ll just see to some fresh dressings and bring you some nice hot chocolate, and we can talk about it again in the morning,’ said Ruth.

The next morning Gina rose very early. She’d already gathered her things together ready for her flight from St Annes, and she helped herself to a few one-pound notes that the Hathersage sisters kept for emergencies in the sideboard in their little sitting room before letting herself out of the Merrylife Hotel for the last time.

It was mid-morning when Ellen and Tom arrived at the Merrylife Hotel.

‘Ellen! I know it’s you because you look exactly like Diana,’ said the lady who answered the door. ‘I’m Mary, and it was me who came across your sister at Preston station one day in June. Come in, both.’

‘Thank you, Miss Hathersage.’

‘Mary, please, love.’

Ellen and Tom were shown into the Hathersage sisters’ little sitting room behind the hotel dining room. All the hotel guests had already departed to go sightseeing for the day.

‘This is my uncle, Tom Arnold,’ said Ellen. ‘We’ve left my mum at home. We’re all the family Gina has …’

‘Gina? Ah, Diana’s real name. I did wonder. And when she said her name was Thornton, I guessed that wasn’t real either and she’d just read it on one of the departure boards at the station.’

Ruth came in with a pot of tea, and news of Gina and explanations were exchanged. Ellen and Tom had discussed on their train journey how much to tell the Hathersage women and, finding they were so sensible and down-to-earth, Ellen was relieved not to have to hide anything from them.

‘… So now my father, Uncle Tom’s brother, has died. We had hoped to find Gina before the funeral, which was two days ago, but we were all out of ideas about where to look until I just happened upon Mavis Hanson and her parents and their broken-down car. Mum is very anxious to have Gina home, not only to break the news of our father’s death, but to give her the chance to explain her part in the business with the stolen goods. We think she was led on by James … by James, the man behind it all. He’s older and, well, we think Gina might have been taken in by him.’

‘Mm, that’s not impossible,’ said Ruth. ‘It’s a terrible disappointment that you and your sister can’t be reunited here and now, but she took herself off very early yesterday morning, before we were up, and we haven’t seen her since. She’s taken everything she brought with her …’ and one or two things she didn’t, ‘… and has gone without leaving a note or anything.’