“Papa’s secret place from when he was a little boy,” Lotti said. “We used to come here to watch the sunset. It’s so strange to be back without him. Don’t look down, you’ll get vertigo.”

“After all we’ve done, I think I can cope with a bit of vertigo,” Ben scoffed, but he pressed his back against the cliff face because the drop down to the river was very high and steep.

They sat for a while in companionable silence, watching the boats on the river below, while Federico explored the clifftop.

“What a long way we’ve come,” said Lotti at last. “The canal, the Thames, the Channel …”

“… the convent, the hospital, the river …”

“Did you see, Ben, earlier, the captain and Clara holding hands?”

“I did,” said Ben. “And I’m glad.”

“And how Janine went all soft when she saw the puppies, and how Frank drank too much champagne …”

“Is that why he’s asleep?” grinned Ben.

“… and how Federico and Moune absolutely adore each other? Darling Federico, with a proper home at last.”

They were silent again, but now the silence was different, because their whole lives had changed and they hadn’t talked about it yet.

“Poor Sparrowhawk,” said Ben.

“Will you get her back?” asked Lotti. “Is that even possible?”

“Sam is going to talk to the river authorities tomorrow,” said Ben. “But it’s unlikely, and even if we do, she won’t survive another Channel crossing. We have to go back to England though. Sam’s not actually discharged from his regiment yet, and he says there’s paperwork, and then he has to get a job, and I have to go to school and we have to find somewhere to live, but I don’t want to go.”

“I have to go to school too,” sighed Lotti. “Though it probably won’t be so bad, if I can come home every day. Ben!”

“It’s not goodbye,” said Ben firmly. “I won’t let it be. I’ll run away again if I have to!”

“No, Ben, listen! I’ve had such a good idea. If Moune is right and she can become my guardian and Uncle Hubert moves out of Barton Lacey, you can live there with Sam, and Zachy!”

“Me and Sam, at Barton Lacey?” Ben began to laugh. “That’s mad. Your grandmother wouldn’t let us!”

“Why shouldn’t she?” demanded Lotti. “She loves you. And anyway it’s my house.”

“Your uncle might not agree to any of this.”

“We’ll make it happen,” said Lotti. “You and me, we’ve done it before. We’ll never really say goodbye, even if we live in different countries. And meanwhile, Ben, listen. There’s a whole summer before school starts, and Moune says you can stay here as long as you want. And, look …”

“Where?”