Joy lit up Lucy's face. 'It's a beautiful little place in Dorset. Somehow, I need to recapture the peace and happiness I felt back then, if that's possible. I remember it so vividly. It's not far from Dorchester. It's a small village off the beaten track, and right on the coast. When we went there, all those years ago, it was little known by holidaymakers.'

'I'll bet it's different now, though,' Kathleen remarked. 'It's been such a long time since you were there, it's bound to have been discovered over the years. Don't you think so, Lucy?'

Lucy thought it would be an awful shame if that lovely place had been spoiled, although it was true that nowhere remained unchanged for all time. 'You could be right,' she answered. 'When we were there with the children some twenty years back, I did notice there were a few more houses dotted about. After all this time, though, as you say, it's not very likely that more people have discovered it.'

'So, if it has changed, will that spoil it for you, Lucy?'

'No. It won't alter my memories.' She was certain of that. 'Besides, the landscape itself is bound to be the same ... I hope. The high cliffs, the wide, open beach and the waves lapping over the sands ... oh, and the beautiful views from the pretty, wooden jetty.'

She could see it all so plainly in her mind. 'Oh, Kathleen, I do hope it's still just as I remember.' For a magic moment, she was there, losing herself in the character of that charming little place.

'You know what, Lucy? In a way I envy you, going back there. Revisiting your cherished memories. I can see you in my mind's eye, perched high up on some cliff, legs dangling over the edge while you gaze out over the sea. Oh, Lucy! It's exactly what you need ... and it's what you deserve.'

She imagined the idyllic seaside village that Lucy had described so vividly. 'It sounds like the kind of quiet, lonely place we all need from time to time, when the big bad world starts crowding in.'

Lucy agreed. 'The first time we went there, with Mum and Dad, I was just ten years old. I've never forgotten it. Then, some years later, after we had both the children, Martin and I took them there. We only went the once, when money was really short. Anne was a toddler, and Sam was a babe in arms.' She paused to remember. 'It was so beautiful, Kathleen. Sadly, though, that was the first and last time for us.'

Kathleen was curious. 'What's the name of this little paradise?'

'If I remember rightly, it was called Limerton or Littleton something like that but I'm sure I could find it on the map. The name just popped into my head last night I can't think why. Oh, and I'll never forget the first time we went, and Dad got lost. We went round and round, up and down, and then the old banger of a car suddenly stopped and wouldn't go. Eventually, we were towed off to a garage, with Dad grumbling and cursing all the way.'

The memory was so real, she could hear her father's voice in her head. 'Roll on the day, when I have enough money to send this useless bag o' bones to the sc.r.a.pheap where it belongs!' Lucy did a fine imitation of her father's cursing.

Kathleen laughed. 'I don't blame him,' she quipped. 'Driving all that way, only to break down when you get there. I reckon I'd be grumpy an' all.'

'He really loved that old car,' Lucy explained. 'He never did send it to the sc.r.a.pheap. Instead he kept it for about four years, but it was forever breaking down. In the end he sold it to a neighbour who, as far as I remember, had no trouble whatsoever with it.'

They both laughed at that. 'Maybe the car didn't like your dad cursing it all the time,' Kathleen teased. 'But you were telling me ... how did you manage to arrive at this little hideaway you loved so much?'

'Oh, yes! The man at the garage couldn't fix the car straight away, so because he had a big old truck, and as we were only four miles from the place we had been looking for, he took us all there in the truck. It was great fun, but needless to say, Dad was not in the best of moods.'

'I'm not surprised.' Kathleen chuckled at the picture in her mind of Lucy's dad ranting and raving.

'He told the man with the truck that the old car had enjoyed its last journey, that it rattled the teeth and shook the bones, and that after that bad experience it would be a week before he could walk properly. He vowed that whenever he managed to get the old rust bucket back home, he would turn it into a henhouse in the back garden!'

Kathleen roared with laughter. 'Your dad sounds like a bit of a devil.'

Lucy smiled at the memory. 'It was one of those days when everything seemed to go wrong, but when we actually got to our destination, it was so beautiful we just forgot all the disappointments. We came off the busy main road, then round a bend, and right there before our eyes was paradise on earth. Tucked away among some high, sloping cliffs, it simply took our breath away.' She smiled. 'It even silenced our dad. One minute we were on the main road, with him swearing and moaning and threatening all manner of punishment for the poor old car, and then we turned a corner into the village, and he didn't even make another peep. At least not until me and Paula scrambled out and ran towards the beach. Then he was yelling, "Be careful, you two!"'

'Careful of what?' Kathleen asked.

'I'm not really sure. Everything, I suppose. "Be careful!" is always what parents say to their kids when they run off.'

'So, did you get onto the beach all right?' Kathleen had this captivating image in her mind of cliffs and a wide beach, and the two young girls running, happy and excited.

'The beach was completely empty,' Lucy recalled, 'with not a soul in sight. I could not believe that we had this great big, beautiful beach all to ourselves.'

The memories came thick and fast. 'I'll never forget it,' she told Kathleen excitedly. 'It was exactly the same when Martin and I took the children there years later. It was still unspoiled, and since that last visit many years ago, I've had a hankering to go back.' Slightly embarra.s.sed, she said softly, 'I know it sounds soppy, but it was the kind of place that somehow gets right into your soul.'

Kathleen smiled. 'Sometimes a place or a person can do that to you,' she said knowingly.

She could see the longing and regret in Lucy's eyes. She could hear it in her voice, and she was convinced that Lucy had made the right decision. 'I'm glad you've chosen to go back there,' she said. 'I think it's the right thing to do. It will give you a chance to reflect. The peace and tranquillity, and the comfort of wonderful memories with family ... it will help to heal you, Lucy, I know it will. And once that begins to happen, you'll find you have a clear idea of what you want to do next.'

Lucy was close to tears. 'Thank you, Kathleen. I don't know what I would have done without you.'

'Don't give it a second thought,' Kathleen chided. 'You would have done the same for me. Just remember, I'm here if you need me.' She gave a long sigh. 'Oh, Lucy! I really do wish I could come with you ... but I can't.' She had an idea, though. 'After you've sorted yourself out, maybe the two of us can have a week or so in this beautiful place, and you can show me around. What d'you say to that?'

'Oh, that would be lovely!' Lucy got out of her chair and gave her friend a long hug. 'Yes! We'll do that ... just you and me.' She would not forget.

Kathleen called for a taxi to take Lucy to Bedford station.

'He'll be here in ten minutes,' she told Lucy. 'I found his number on a card in a shop window a few weeks back. I thought it might come in handy. Apparently, he's local, and he never overcharges. He also has a reputation for being a safe driver.'

In a surprisingly short time the taxi arrived. Nervous and excited, Lucy said goodbye. 'I can never thank you enough, Kathleen.' She wrapped her arms about this wonderful, caring friend, and held her as though she would never let go.

'Ring me as soon as you get there, will you, Lucy?' Kathleen discreetly brushed away her tears. 'I'll be waiting for your call.'

'I'll ring you the minute I arrive,' Lucy promised, 'and, please, Kathleen, don't forget the story we decided on, in case Anne should come round. I don't like deceiving her, but I think it's a necessary evil. For a mult.i.tude of reasons, I do not want the chldren finding out where I've gone, and why.'

'I understand. If she does ask, I will simply tell her that you really needed to get away and be on your own for a while. I'll explain that you've gone to stay with my old aunt, and that she is not on the telephone.'

'Thank you.' Lucy explained, 'I don't want her telling Martin or Paula any different. The less anyone knows where I am, the better ... for now, anyway.'

'So, do you think you will eventually tell them about Martin and Paula, and that it was the main reason you had to get away?'

'I have no idea how it will all end.' Lucy was deeply ashamed that this was the second time in as many days that she had not been altogether honest with her daughter. But it had to be done because the last thing she needed was Anne, or anyone else, coming after her and upsetting her plans. 'I can't let anyone know where I am, Kathleen, because I know they would chase after me, and just now I must be on my own ... to think, and plan, and hopefully sort out my life one way or another.'

'Don't fret about it, Lucy,' Kathleen advised.

Lucy appreciated her understanding. 'For your information only, Kathleen, I expect to book into a hotel at the seaside, and I'll call you from there. I'll just have to make up some story about where I'm phoning from if I talk to Anne. Remember, won't you? Any calls I make to you or the family ... will be from there.'

The tearful goodbyes over, Lucy climbed into the taxi.

'Morning, miss!' The driver was a burly, jolly sort. 'Railway station, is it?'

'Yes, please, but could you make two quick detours first?'

'Don't see why not, my lovely. Especially as you asked so nicely.' He gave her a wide, toothy smile. 'Off on a holiday, are you?'

'Sort of.' Lucy was careful to give nothing away.

'Right then ... let's be off.' He dropped the engine into low gear and began easing the car away from the pavement. 'So, where are we headed first?'

'To the High Street. I'll tell you where to stop when we get there. Thanks.' She glanced anxiously up and down the street as they drove off.

Thankfully, the street was clear, except for Katheen, who was still waving from the doorway. 'Stay safe and keep in touch!' she called out.

Lucy wound down the window to remind her, 'I'll call you when I get there!'

She stifled her emotion and turned her eyes to the front. 'I'll only be a minute on the High Street,' she instructed the driver. 'I'll tell you the second detour afterwards ... if that's all right?'

'Whatever you say, miss. You're the boss.'

'Thank you.' Lucy enjoyed being called 'miss'. It made her feel young again.

Lucy now set her mind to the journey. If all went well at the High Street, she would go straight on to the second destination. From there, it would be the station. But if her first errand did not bear fruit, she would not even be going to the station. Instead, she would probably be heading back to Kathleen's, which, after all the planning and worry while making up her mind, would be a huge disappointment.

Taking a deep breath, she concentrated on what might just be the start of an amazing adventure.

Ten minutes later, the taxi turned into the High Street.

'Now then, let's see if we can park.' The driver knew from experience that it was never easy to find somewhere to park here, what with compet.i.tion from cyclists and motorists.

Luckily, as he cruised along, he noticed the driver of a grey Hillman Minx signalling that he was waiting to pull out.

'Well, that was lucky! I was just about to drop you off and drive up and down, until you were ready to leave,' he told Lucy.

The moment he was safely parked, Lucy opened the door and got out. 'I shouldn't be too long,' she said. 'About fifteen minutes, or thereabouts.'

'That's all right.' The driver leaned back and stretched his arms. 'It's your time and your money. The sooner you're back, the smaller the bill.'

His gentle warning spurred Lucy on. She could not afford to run up a huge fare because he was having to wait. 'I'll be as quick as I can.' She set off at a run.

At the lower end of the street, she stood outside the chosen shop, gazing in at the window and wondering whether she might regret doing what she had in mind. Come on, Lucy, move yourself! she silently chivvied herself. You heard what the driver said. It's you that's paying for his waiting time!

She glanced at the haphazard display of merchandise in the window. There were numerous collections of what looked like expensive jewellery; a smattering of old leather-bound books; any number of pretty pieces of china and bric-a-brac.

Right at the back of the display, hanging from the back part.i.tion, were some small oil paintings, and alongside these, framed photographs of old ships and handsome country houses.

In amongst the particular displays were numerous odd items, a scattering of fascinating curiosities, none of which Lucy could easily identify.

Lucy was concerned to see so many items, most of them obviously valuable, and all no doubt previously owned by someone who had cherished them dearly. It made her wonder about the people who, like her, had found themselves in a situation where they had little choice but to p.a.w.n or sell their valuables.

Shifting her sorry gaze away from the window display, she tried to think of another way of raising money, but it was a futile exercise. She suspected Kathleen, had she known, would have moved heaven and earth to help her financially, but Lucy thought her dear friend had done more than enough already, and swiftly dismissed the issue from her mind.

Her thoughts brought her to the taxi waiting down the street. It's make-your-mind-up time! she told herself. The taxi fare is climbing, and you haven't even made a start.

Her attention was then brought to the big sign above her head, which read in large black capitals: TOM FISHER'S p.a.w.nSHOP.

We buy goods, and also lend money on items of interest With little choice, Lucy braced herself and pushed open the front door. 'h.e.l.lo!' The shop appeared empty. 'Is there anyone about?' she called in a firm voice.

She got a fright when a big man suddenly answered from behind her, 'There's no need to raise your voice, woman. I get enough o' that from the missus!'

Lucy swung round to face him. 'I'm sorry ... only ...' At the sight of him she was momentarily struck dumb. A huge, mountainous blob of a man, he wore a blue beret that sat in the middle of his head like a pimple on a haystack, and had a long, thin moustache sweeping down to a broad chest. His green eyes were unnervingly piercing.

'What can I do for you?' he demanded impatiently.

Having never been inside a p.a.w.nshop before, Lucy was decidedly nervous.

'Hurry up, woman!' He gave a long sigh. 'State yer business; we in't got all day!'

Before Lucy could explain her business, he gave an almighty sneeze, yanked a mucky handkerchief from his pocket, flicked it in the air, then caught it in his hammer-fist and wrapped it about his bulbous nose. That done, he gave another sneeze louder than any Lucy had ever heard before.

'Got summat to pop, have yer?' he sniffed. 'Let's 'ave a look at it then?' He glanced at her bag. 'In there, is it?' Impatient and excited, he was almost jogging on the spot.

Momentarily tongue-tied, Lucy was reminded of a pantomime character. 'Yes, I have got something I'd like to pop ... or p.a.w.n ... if you please?'

'Right, then! 'Ere's the deal. If you've got summat worth a bob or two, I might buy it off you ... if you've a mind to sell, that is. Or I might lend you money against it, bearing in mind that when you come to get it back you must return the sum of money that I lent you in the first place. And on top of that, I shall require another ten per cent over and above the sum of money that you borrowed.' He waggled a fat finger at her. 'We need to get that clear right now, before we go any further.'

'Ten per cent? It seems a lot.'

'Mebbe, but you won't get better terms nowhere else. In fact, you'll more than likely get a top-up of fifteen per cent. I in't that greedy, but I do need to mek a living.'

'Ten per cent really does seem a lot, though.' Lucy was feeling out of her depth.

'Well, if yer want to do business, them's my terms.' He drew in a mighty long breath, then blew it out with such force that it sent the paperwork flying off the counter. 'You either tek the offer or you leave it, meks no difference to me. If you tek it, you pays me back, plus the ten per cent interest, when you comes to collect the item. But this is all on condition that, having seen the goods, I agree to hold them for you. Got all that, 'ave you, woman?'

Lucy gave it more thought. Never before had she met such an obnoxious, rude man, and now she wasn't at all certain that she could trust him with the only valuable things she had in her possession.

'Come on ... mek up yer mind!' The big man interrupted her thoughts. 'Does them terms agree with you, or does they not? Because if they does not, then I'm not interested in doing business with you. So, what's it to be?'

He gave another almighty sneeze, causing Lucy to jump in fright. This time he pinched his nose with his bare fingers, then swivelled it about a bit before wiping it from side to side with the cuff of his sleeve.

After another loud, drawn-out cough, he was talking to her again.

Lucy found it difficult to concentrate on what he was saying, being both disgusted and fascinated by the long, shivering dewdrop hanging by a thread from the end of his nose.

'Come on then, missus. Like I said, I in't got all day, so does the terms suit you, or does they not?'

'It seems I don't have a choice, so yes. But can you please be quick?' she gabbled. 'I've got a taxi waiting and the bill is getting bigger by the minute.'

'What's that you say?' He gave a raucous chuckle. 'A taxi, eh? Well, now, that's a curious thing. There's you in a p.a.w.nshop after borowing money, and there's a taxi waiting outside, with your name on it. Seems to me you should not be arguing over a ten per cent charge for my help in taking good care of your valuables, when it seems you have money to throw about on taxis! Huh! I should be so lucky.'

Lucy chose not to comment. Instead, she reluctantly produced the little red box from her pocket.

Holding it tenderly in the palm of her hand, she raised the lid. She watched the p.a.w.nbroker's eyes grow big and round as they latched onto the items lovingly cradled within the box. 'b.u.g.g.e.r me, woman! Where did yer get them?'

When he reached out to take the box, Lucy held it from him. 'These two rings are very precious to me and mine,' she explained softly. 'I would never have come here if I were not in desperate need of money to tide me over.'

When the tears threatened, she took a deep breath to calm herself. Reluctantly, she reached out and placed the box very gently on the counter.

'So, Mr p.a.w.nbroker, how much can you lend me against these? And I a.s.sure you that I shall be back for them as soon as I can ... with the money I borrowed, and your extra ten per cent on top. I know their worth so, please, don't offer me a paltry amount because then I might have to try the p.a.w.nshop a few doors down.'

Silently, the big man nervously lifted the two rings into the palm of his hand. After regarding them for the longest moment, he reached into his waistcoat pocket and drew out a small metal eyegla.s.s. He took the eyegla.s.s between finger and thumb and, carefully pressing it to his right eye, he closed his left eye so as to focus on the two rings. Both, he quickly ascertained, were fashioned out of the finest gold.

One ring was deep-shouldered, and bore a small cl.u.s.ter of red rubies. In the centre of the rubies stood a small but attractively cut diamond.

The second ring was indeed handsome, with a complete posy of exquisite, raised hearts, which encircled the entire band like a golden garland.