Even though the snow had stopped falling over the past few days, it still covered the roads, so they had decided their best bet was to take the sledge. As Zeus’s hooves thudded against the thick blanket of snow, Roz recalled the journey which she and Mabel had taken to pick Felix up, and how different she had felt then from how she felt now. Back then, she had been full of excited anticipation, whereas now she was full of nervous trepidation. She didn’t know how long it would be before she saw him again, and she had an underlying fear that something would happen and he would be taken back to Australia, or Canada, or somewhere equally far away. She voiced her fears to Felix, who did his best to reassure her that having already made one such mistake the government would be in no hurry to repeat it.

Now, as they neared the station, she began to think of excuses for him to stay. Perhaps pretend he’d had an accident and was unfit for duty, or that the snow was too bad for them to get through or … Felix’s voice cut across her thoughts.

‘Penny for them?’

She gave a heartfelt sigh. ‘Just thinking of ways to keep you here.’

He gave a short, mirthless laugh. ‘Accidents to forgotten tickets, eh?’

She glanced curiously at him. ‘You’ve been thinking the same?’

Nodding, he placed his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. ‘Of course I have. I’d do anything to stay with you, but it wouldn’t be right, and I won’t turn my back on the people who saved me in the first place.’

She leaned her head into his shoulder. ‘And I wouldn’t want you any other way.’ Looking up, she nuzzled her face into the warmth of his neck. ‘I wish we had a few more hours.’

He kissed the top of her head. ‘Me too, but time waits for no man.’ He glanced through to the platform and the train which passengers were already boarding. ‘I’ll be for the high jump if I miss my train.’ Lifting her chin, he kissed her softly, his hand cupping the side of her neck as he did so.

Roz opened her eyes and gazed into Felix’s which twinkled at her. Breaking their embrace, he jumped down from the sledge and grabbed his kitbag. His jaw flinched as he looked back at Roz, her eyes filling with tears. ‘I’ll write every day, and once I’m settled somewhere, we’ll arrange for you to come and visit.’

A tear fell onto her cheek as she nodded hastily. Wiping it away absent-mindedly, she smiled through lips that trembled as she spoke. ‘Look after yourself.’