‘It’s rubbish,’ said Ellen resolutely. ‘That’s all. You know how Gina always wants summat more than she’s got, and she’s the last person to put in a bit of honest graft to get it. I reckon she saw this stupid magic idea as a short cut to getting summat without making an effort, and she believed it because it was easier than hard work.’

‘Aye, lass, I hope it’s no more than that. I can hardly credit the nonsense I’ve heard from her this afternoon.’

‘Oh, Mum …’ Ellen hugged her mother. ‘You know the police need to know we’ve found her, don’t you?’

‘Of course. I wish it wasn’t so, but she has to face up to what she’s done, even if it isn’t her who thought up the business with the stolen goods.’

‘The real villain is that James Stellion, but Gina helped him and she may even know where he is.’

‘I don’t think she does. He’s gone abroad, his father thinks, and left Gina to face her punishment.’

‘Well, if he’s not here to take his punishment, she ought to place all the blame on him,’ said Ellen. ‘He led her on good and proper. I reckon he flirted with her and made her think she was special to him and then used her in his dodgy dealings. I saw them together at the fête last year and it looked to me like she was a bit in love with him even then.’

‘More fool her, thinking herself equal to the Stellions,’ said Dora sadly. ‘Gina’s not one of them, nor will she ever be.’

Gina had dried her eyes and drunk yet another cup of tea.

‘You know what you said earlier, when Edward was driving us back: that whenever you wanted a lovely place to escape to in your mind, it was the rose garden?’ said Ellen.

Gina nodded.

‘Why don’t we go there now? It’s looking very pretty – I’d like you to see how hard I’ve been working – and Mr and Mrs Stellion are away today so not there to mind.’

‘Yes,’ Gina said quietly. ‘That would be so nice. I’d like to see if it smells as lovely as I remember.’

Ellen, ever the gardener, shook her head. ‘Not as strongly, and not so many flowers, but it’s still very pretty. It’s stopped raining so shall we go now?’

‘Yes, let’s. Just you and me.’

They walked up the lane to the turn into the Hall drive, and let themselves in through the little gate beside the Lodge.

‘I never thought I’d come back here,’ said Gina as their footsteps sounded in unison up the gravel to the front of the house. ‘Do you remember the bicycle?’

‘I do. Really, Gina, did Mrs S lend it to you or did you pinch it?’