She stopped then and covered her face with her hands, breathing deeply. Oh, but that had been horrible. When that awful old woman turned on her and mentioned again that business with the money from the shop! It was months ago – why would anyone feel the need to bring that up now? So unfair … It was all over … all over now …

‘Excuse me, love, are you all right?’ It was a woman in her fifties asking, wearing a brown overall as if she had just come from work. ‘Only you look a bit heated, like.’

‘No … thank you. I’m … yes, I’m quite all right,’ said Gina, pulling herself up, shoulders back, breathing deeply.

The woman patted Gina’s arm in a motherly fashion. ‘You take care, love,’ she said kindly.

‘Yes, thank you. It’ll all be all right now,’ said Gina, and turned towards Main Street as the woman continued along into Lloyd George Road.

When Gina got off the bus in Little Grindle, she could see Ellen ahead of her, just waving off Sally at the Masons’ cottage. The girls were smiling widely, then Sally called something and Ellen laughed. Gina stood quite still, watching. She knew that if she moved then Ellen would probably notice her and wait for her to catch her up, and Gina didn’t want to answer questions about her afternoon and have to endure Ellen’s chatter.

Sally went inside and Ellen walked on, swinging her satchel, and looking, from her bearing, very pleased with life. At the lane end, Ellen turned towards Highview Cottage. Gina, following at a distance, came to a halt at the turning. If she went after Ellen she’d find Dora at home, and there would be strong tea, and the inevitable potatoes to peel while they exchanged their news. There would be the familiar comforting smells of the farm cottage – the scent of home – and Dora’s strong arms to hug her in greeting now she no longer lived there. Then, later, there would be Philip, with his long face and some story of the latest sheep death or mishap on the farm, prophesying disaster and spreading gloom over the family, short-tempered and snarling at anyone who tried to jolly him out of it. The evening would be ruined.

Gina watched as Ellen stopped walking and bent her head, her hands clasped, seeming to say a little prayer. Perhaps she was praying for a peaceful evening.

Gina set her face towards the Hall and strode on just as the sky opened and the long-forecast rain started to fall.

CHAPTER NINE