Oh!

Kyra gasped, folding

back the flaps of the
box.Look!
What? What? The yonger
children cro!ded close.
Kyra reached ot to lift a loop
of tinsel. "ecorations, she
said re#erently. $or or tree.
There%s a heap of stff.
&obert sonded i'pressed.
Where%s it co'e fro'?
They%re old ones fro' the
hospital. ('y !atched as the
first of do)ens of colored balls
and stars !ere lifted fro' the
box. *obody see'ed to notice
that the balls !ere a little dll
and that so'e !ere chipped. Or
that the shiny cardboard stars
had bent corners. (ctally, it
!as +r. ,arrington !ho
resced the' fro' being
thro!n ot.
('y had no idea ho! difficlt it
'ight ha#e been for Lke to
find ti'e in his bsy schedle
to do that, bt the fact that he
had gone ot of his !ay at all
!as a'a)ing. (nd the !ay he
had offered the' to her !ith
that oddly hopefl expression
that begged for acceptance had
been !hat had tipped the
balance.
( 'o'ent that had been a
pinpoint in ti'e bt one that
('y !old al!ays re'e'ber,
becase that had been the
'o'ent she had fallen in lo#e
!ith Lke ,arrington.
,ead o#er heels stff. ( lo#e as
big as (frica. -igger.
"ear &eader,
. hope yo lo#e /hrist'as as
'ch as . do.
. think 'ost of its 'agic co'es
fro' the fact that it%s a ti'e !e
get to celebrate the people in
or li#es !ho are special to s,
and !e kno! that 'illions of
others are doing the sa'e.
. lo#e the anticipation of gi#ing
gifts that !ill delight, and the
decorations and carols and the
special food. . e#en lo#e the
cro!ded shops and all the
hassles of the last fe! days,
becase there%s a bond !ith
e#eryone else. ( sense of
sharing e#en !ith co'plete
strangers.
.t%s a ti'e of year that%s nder a
spotlight and that can 'agnify
things. .t can 'ake the good
things in life e#en better, bt it
can also 'ake bad things see'
!orse. 0o'e people can feel
1ite lonely and left ot arond
/hrist'as.
+y heroine, ('y, has a great
attitde to!ard life, bt this
particlar /hrist'as is going to
test her to the li'it. +y hero,
Lke, lost any belief in the
'agic of /hrist'as a #ery long
ti'e ago.
(nd !hat abot this 'iracle?
+aybe there !ill be 'ore than
one2.
,appy reading, and . hope yo
ha#e a trly !onderfl
/hrist'as.
(lison
T,3 .T(L.(* 04&53O*%0
/,&.0T+(0 +.&(/L3
(lison &oberts
+3".T3&&(*3(* "O/TO&0
Let these exotic doctors s!eep
yo off yor feet2.
-e tantali)ed by their
s'oldering good looks,
ro'anced by their fiery passion
and !ar'ed by the e'otional
po!er of these strong and
caring 'en2.
+3".T3&&(*3(* "O/TO&0
6assionate abot life, lo#e and
'edicine
/O*T3*T0
/,(6T3& O*3
/,(6T3& TWO
/,(6T3& T,&33
/,(6T3& $O4&
/,(6T3& $.73
/,(6T3& 0.8
/,(6T3& 0373*
/,(6T3& 3.5,T
/,(6T3& *.*3
/,(6T3& T3*
/,(6T3& 3L373*
/,(6T3& TW3L73
/,(6T3& O*3
T,3silly season.
(ptly na'ed.
(nd the sooner it !as o#er the
better, as far as Lke
,arrington !as concerned.
/haos !as gaining hold in the
cardiology !ard of 0t
3li)abeth%s /hildren%s ,ospital
and the people !ho shold be
at least trying to keep a lid on
things !ere clearly failing.
The noise le#el !as !ell abo#e
nor'al, thanks to children
already being hyped p by the
approach of /hrist'as "ay.
There see'ed to be a lot of
giggling going on and the
seasonal 'sic had so'eho!
follo!ed hi' fro' the theatre
site. 5ady decorations hng
e#ery!here, inclding loops of
fat sil#er tinsel on doorfra'es
that threatened to garrotte
anyone in his position of being
o#er six feet in height.
( nrse passed hi', a s'all
child balanced on her hip, a
hge !hite teddy bear nder
her other ar'. The bear !as
!earing a 0anta hat and the
nrse !as singing 9:ingle
-ells%. The child !as beating
ti'e !ith t!o s'all fists and a
!ide grin on her face. Lke
s'iled back.
9,ello, -ella. .%' co'ing to see
yo soon.%
9Three sleeps,% -ella infor'ed
hi'. 9+''y says .%ll be ho'e
by then bt e#en if .%' not,
$ather /hrist'as !ill kno!
!here to find 'e.%
9,e sre !ill.% -ella%s nrse had
stopped singing. 9Let%s get yo
back to bed, Troble, so
+r,arrington !ill kno! !here
to find yo.% The tone
sggested that this nrse !as
!ell a!are of the proble's
cased recently by his patients
being any!here bt in their
beds !hen Lke did his ronds.
The charge nrse, +argaret,
had spotted his approach to the
central nrses% station. 0he
held ot a clipboard.
9/an yo sign, please, Lke?
.t%s the telephone order yo
ga#e for increased analgesia for
"aniel.%
Lke reached for a pen. 9,a#e
the reslts co'e in on -aby
,arris?%
9;es. .%#e got the' right here
for yo.% +argaret trned as
s!iftly as her sbstantial figre
allo!ed, reaching for a 'anila
folder on the clttered desk.
Lke scra!led his na'e,
looked p to !ait for the folder
bt then fond his attention
di#erted to the sa'e place
+argaret%s had been. ( large
artificial /hrist'as tree had
been positioned near the
central desk. /ardboard boxes
!ere scattered arond its base.
( nrse !as kneeling beside
one of the boxes and she had a
grop of children gathered
arond her. (s she opened the
box, the children grabbed
decorations and that !as !hat
had attracted +argaret%s notice.
9*ot those ones, (nge.% 0he
'o#ed to pick p the box. 9.
thoght !e%d got rid of these.
We%#e got all the lo#ely ne!
decorations for this year,
re'e'ber?%
+ore boxes !ere opened to
re#eal decorations still !rapped
in tisse paper. The box that
!as o#erflo!ing !ith rather
sad<looking, bent, cardboard
stars and chipped colored
balls !as pshed into a corner
behind Lke, near the rbbish
bin. +argaret straightened and
s'iled at Lke%s expression as
he !atched children gleeflly
shredding tisse paper and
cro!ing delightedly o#er their
disco#eries.
9.t%s /hrist'as.% *o one else
!old get a!ay !ith the kind of
'otherly rebkes +argaret
cold deli#er. 9We%re allo!ed a
little bit of 'ess.% 0he handed
hi' the 'anila folder.
Lke said nothing. +argaret
had been rnning this !ard for
e#er. 0he kne! as !ell as he
did !hy tidiness !as i'portant.
&ight no! it !old be
i'possible to 'o#e a bed past
this section of the corridor. The
boxes !ere enogh of an
obstacle corse for people, let
alone, say, a crash trolley. ;es,
it !as highly nlikely that an
e'ergency !old occr in the
next fifteen 'intes bt !hat if
it did? 6art of Lke%s not
inconsiderable skill as a
srgeon ca'e fro' being able
to anticipate and pre#ent a
broken link in a chain of
response.
,e placed the folder on the
desk and opened it =st as his
pager sonded again.
(to'atically, he reached for
the nearby phone.
9,arrington.%
9.t%s an otside call, +r
,arrington. $ro' a +r
-attersby. ,e%s been !aiting a
!hile. 0hall . pt it throgh?%
Lke !as #ery te'pted to say
he didn%t ha#e ti'e to take this
call, bt he thoght better of it.
.t !asn%t =st the chaos of the
rn<p to /hrist'as that he
!anted to be o#er. 96t hi' on,%
he said. 9Thank yo.%
,is solicitor ob#iosly
respected ti'e constraints. ,e
got straight to the point.
90orry to distrb yo, +r
,arrington, bt !e ha#e a
proble'.%
9Oh?% Lke tcked the phone
bet!een a shrgged sholder
and his ear as he opened the
folder and fanned ot the sheaf
of test reslts !ith one hand.
9,a#e yo, by any chance, had
the opportnity to take a look at
this hose on 0lli#an (#ene
that yo%#e inherited?%
+aybe the constraints !eren%t
nderstood clearly enogh.
9Ti'e is a lxry in 'y line of
bsiness, +r -attersby.% Lke
fro!ned at the graph in front of
hi'. 0tarted at birth, contined
by the 56 and no! being
'onitored by !ard staff,
charting the !eight of a three<
!eek<old boy !ho had been
ad'itted t!o days ago in
rgent need of 'a=or heart
srgery.
9Oh, . nderstand that. -t2%
( 'scle in Lke%s =a!
bnched. (s 'any of the staff
at Li))ies !ere a!are, 9bt% !as
one of his least fa#orite !ords.
9$ind a soltion, not an excse%
!as a phrase he had to se all
too often.
,is tone !as still patient,
ho!e#er. /al' and
professional. What any 'e'ber
of the pblic 'ight expect to
hear fro' the head of the
paediatric cardiothoracic
srgical depart'ent.
9We%#e been throgh this, +r
-attersby,% he said. 9The hose
is derelict. .t%s sitting on a
particlarly #alable piece of
real estate.% (nd central London
real estate !as al!ays #alable.
3specially this close to
&egent%s 6ark. Lke raised his
ga)e for a 'o'ent. .f he !alked
past the /hrist'as tree into one
of the inpatient roo's on that
side of the !ard, he cold
probably see the property fro'
the height the second floor of
the hospital pro#ided.
*ot that he !old recognise
the hose. ,e hadn%t seen it
and he didn%t intend to.
93xtre'ely #alable,% the
solicitor concrred.
Lke ignored the 'r'r. 9(s .
told yo last !eek, . !ant the
hose gone. "e'olished.%
Wiped fro' the face of the
earth.
9(nd . !ant it done
i''ediately.% Lke allo!ed his
deter'ination to sho!. 9. !ant a
clean piece of land to pt on the
'arket in the ne! year.
6referably the first of :anary.%
5ood. The baby%s !eight !as
creeping p again, finally.
,a#ing dropped to >.? kg de to
an inability to feed, the
nderlying heart condition and
a respiratory infection, it !as
no! back to @ kg. (n
acceptable point to go ahead
!ith the srgery.
9We ha#e a proble' !ith that,%
the annoying #oice in his ear
repeated. 96articlarly the ti'e
fra'e.%
9.%' not interested in
proble's.% Lke caght the
phone !ith his hand, preparing
to end the call. 9That%s !hy .
e'ploy a fir' !ith the kind of
reptation -attersby, -attersby
and 5osling has. ;o sort it.%
9.t%s not that si'ple.%
*othing e#er !as. Lke !as
doing a 1ick 'ental
rearrange'ent of his
co''it'ents. Which of
to'orro! 'orning%s cases
cold be shffled? 0o'e 'ight
!ell ha#e to !ait an extra day or
t!o gi#en the length of ti'e this
case !old in#ol#e and nobody
!old be happy abot that. *ot
that anyone !as going to get
ot of the intensi#e care nit let
alone get ho'e for /hrist'as
!ith srgery planned for
to'orro!, bt e#erybody
!anted it o#er !ith and
recperation to look for!ard to.
/hrist'as !as a fa'ily
celebration tiny Lia' ,arris
'ight ne#er be able to share if
this srgery didn%t happen #ery
1ickly.
9.t%s the tenants, yo see2%
9What?%Theatre schedles slid
to the back of Lke%s 'ind. ,e
tried to block ot the increasing
noise le#el fro' the excited
children helping to decorate the
tree. 9What do yo 'ean,
tenants? (ccording to the
infor'ation yo sent 'e,
there%s been no inco'e on this
property since its o!ner died.%
9.t%s co'plicated. There%s been
an infor'al arrange'ent,
apparently. ;or fatherA%
(lready tense 'scles
tightened another notch. Lke%s
=a! ached. 95io#anni +oretti is
no relati#e of 'ine.%
The na'e 'ight be on his birth
certificate bt it had ne#er been
spoken. Or sed. 6art of his
genetic 'ake<p, ad'ittedly,
bt it had been bried long ago
as so'ething to be asha'ed of.
"espised.
.talian.
3'otional.
The path to chaos and 'isery
and broken li#es.
(ll so far in the past e#en the
re'inder had been shocking,
bt Lke had been !ell broght
p. 5i#en strength of character
like te'pered steel. ,e kne!
not to go there. *ot to e#en take
a single step in that direction.
,e cold al'ost see his
grand'other%s appro#ing nod
as he dre! in a carefl breath.
96roceed !ith the de'olition,%
he ordered cal'ly. 9The tenants
!ill si'ply ha#e to find
so'e!here else to s1at.%
9They can%t.% +r -attersby,
senior, sonded a lot less frail
than Lke kne! hi' to be.
"efiant, e#en.
93xcse 'e?%
9There%s children in#ol#ed.%
&eginald -attersby cleared his
throat and his tone beca'e
slightly be'sed. 9&ather a lot
of the', actally. (nd they%re in
the care of a yong !o'an !ho
flatly refses to lea#e the hose
before /hrist'as. 0he is
so'e!hat2ah2passionate
abot it.%
6assion. 3#en the !ord !as
distastefl, let alone its
i'plications. The fastest rote
to chaos. The lti'ate in losing
control.
9;o don%t ha#e to deal !ith it
yorself,% he told his solicitor.
9Trn it o#er to the police. Or
0ocial 0er#ices. There are
plenty of places for people like
that.%
.rresponsible people !ho
!old think nothing of taking
o#er a deserted hose and
li#ing rent free.
9;o 'ight kno! this !o'an.%
Lke%s hff of expelled breath
!as incredlos. 9. dobt that
#ery 'ch.%
9We%#e done so'e
in#estigation. ,er na'e%s ('y
6hillips. 0he !orks as a nrse
in the cardiology !ard of 0t
3li)abeth%s.%
Lke rbbed his te'ple !ith
the 'iddle finger of his free
hand. The ache fro' his =a!
!as creeping p!ards. ,e did
not like this. *ot that he%d heard
of this nrse bt this !as a
bsy !ard that dealt !ith
patients fro' both the 'edical
and srgical areas of
cardiology. ,e coldn%t
possibly kno! the na'es of
e#ery =nior staff 'e'ber. .t
!asn%t the fact that this ('y
6hillips !as e'ployed here that
!as distrbing. .t !as the
potential connection. ( totally
nexpected link fro'
so'ething he had no intention
of toching in any for' to2
Lke raised his ga)e again.
(t first it !as a sspicios
scan of the area. Was that this
('y 6hillips carrying the
stepladder? Or the one !ith a
pile of linen in her ar's,
heading to!ards the slice
roo'? The older !o'an,
'aybe, pshing a !heelchair
!ho had =st co'e into #ie! at
the end of the corridor. *o. 0he
had been here for years and
years and her na'e definitely
!asn%t ('y. .t !as2so'ething
else.
The atte'pt to re'e'ber the
na'e faded. (ll the noise and
bstle beca'e si'ply a 'ted
backgrond. The !alls al'ost
in#isible. What Lke !as a!are
of !ere in the beds behind the
!alls. Or in the playroo' at the
end of the corridor. -eing
carried by nrses !ho sang
/hrist'as carols or held p to
hook an angel to a high branch
on a tree.
Thechildren . Life !as hard
enogh, !asn%t it, !ithot
starting !ith the kinds of
difficlties these sick children
had to contend !ith.They !ere
the reason he pt so 'any
nforgi#ing hors of his life into
his !ork. .t!as his life, this
place. ,is career. ( stnningly
sccessfl one that changed
the li#es of 'any, 'any people.
,a#ing it tainted by a sha'efl
past !as si'ply nthinkable.
9. don%t gi#e a da'n !ho she is
or !here she !orks,% he said
gri'ly. 9. !ant her gone and .
!ant a de'olition cre! on site
to'orro!. "eal !ith it.%
9.t !on%tA%
9;es, it !ill,% Lke contradicted.
9+oney is not an ob=ect here.
The proceeds fro' the sale of
this property !ill be donated to
an appropriate charity. $ind an
organisation !ho is prepared to
take in these2tenantsand .%ll
'ake sre they are a 'a=or
beneficiary.%
9That 'ight help,% &eginald
-attersby conceded. ,e still
sighed, ho!e#er, as thogh the
task !as spre'ely distastefl.
9.%ll see !hat . can do.%

The phone !as still ringing.
('y ga#e the large pot one
'ore stir to 'ake sre the
'eatballs !eren%t sticking at
the botto' of the rich, to'ato
sace they !ere si''ering in.
9,ello?%
9('y! .t%s 'e, &osa.%
9Oh!% ('y 'ade an excited face
at t!o s'all boys !ho !ere
lying on the flagged floor of this
hge old kitchen. 9(ngelo!
+arco! .t%s yor +a''a!%
&elaying the infor'ation so
fast probably hadn%t been !ise.
*o! ('y had a six<year<old
boy on either side, tgging at
her ar's, begging in #olble
.talian for a trn on the phone. .t
'ade it a lot harder to hear
!hat her older sister !as
saying.
9What !as that? ,o!%s
*onna?%
90he hates being in the
hospital.%
9,o! bad !as it? The heart
attack?%
9The procedre they did !as
sccessfl, apparently. The
arterioAplaster thing.%
9(ngioplasty?%
9That%s it! . kne!yo shold
ha#e co'e !ith +a''a, not
'e. *either of s ha#e any real
idea !hat they%re talking abot.%
9. coldn%t go, yo kno! that.
Work%s cra)y and nobody%s
getting lea#e before /hrist'as.
(nd there%s troble !ith the
hose. That horrible old la!yer
!as here again today. ,e%s
threatening toA%
The #oices of her identical t!in
nephe!s beca'e loder.
9+a''a!% (ngelo cried
pitiflly.96iacere, Bietta ('yA%
9*o!%+arco sho#ed his
brother.9+i!%
9Tra#elling !ith +a''a !as a
night'are,% &osa either hadn%t
heard or !asn%t listening to
('y. 90he lost e#erything.
T!ice. Tickets, passport,
lggage. .%' exhasted. (nd2.
'iss the boys.% 0he sonded
close to tears. 9(re they okay?%
,er sister had enogh to
handle. ( sick grand'other. (
distraght 'other. -eing
separated fro' her children so
soon after being deserted by
that no<good hsband. .t
!oldn%t be fair to share the
fear that ('y !asn%t going to
be able to hold the fort here,
e#en for a fe! days. That the
!alls of their !orld !ere
cr'bling at an alar'ingly
rapid rate.
9The boys are fine,% she said.
9(ngels. ,ere, yo talk to the'
for a 'inte. . need to check on
0''er.%
('y pshed the phone
to!ards for s'all hands.
9+arco first,% she ordered. 9(nd
don%t hang p. . need to talk to
+a''a again.% 0he spoke in
.talian becase it !as their first
langage and 'ore likely to be
obeyed.
(nother 1ick stir of the sace
'ade it spit and splatter onto
the pitted srface of the ancient
sto#e bt ('y didn%t ha#e ti'e
to do 'ore than !ipe p one of
the bigger spots !ith the corner
of her apron. 0he crossed the
roo', taking =st a 'o'ent to
drop a kiss onto a bent golden
head at the big, pine table.
9;o%re doing a fantastic =ob,
/hantelle.% 0he spoke in
3nglish no!, s!itching
langages effortlessly. 9. really
like yor ctting ot.%
9. need 'ore colors.%
9.%ll find so'e 'ore old
'aga)ines. "id yo find the
gle?%
9,ere. 0ee?%
The =ar of paste tipped and
('y hastily righted it. 9They%ll
be the best strea'ers any
/hrist'as tree e#er had.
Weren%t the others going to help
yo? Or are they doing their
ho'e!ork?%
9They%re !atching telly.%
9They%ll ha#e to get bsy after
dinner, then. /old yo tell
the' it%ll be ready soon?%
There !as a so'e!hat
battered old coch in the corner
of this kitchen. .t !as co#ered
!ith a 'ond of soft pillo!s at
the end and lots of !ar'
blankets, althogh the range
did a !onderfl =ob of heating
this part of the old hose. (
s'all radiant heater !as also
on becase the stone floor had
an a'a)ing ability to sck in
heat.
(n oxygen cylinder !as tcked
safely bet!een the end of the
coch and the !all. Tbing
snaked to!ards nose prongs
and the pale plastic accessory
!as 'ade 'ore ob#ios by
ho! black the little face
beneath it !as.
('y lo#ed the feel of
0''er%s f))y hair. 0he
stroked it again as she dropped
to a croch. 9,o! are yo
doing, s!eetheart? (re yo
hngry?%
The s'all girl shook her head.
9/old yo eat so'ething?
0o'e eggy soldiers, 'aybe?%
(nother head shake bt
0''er !as s'iling her
gorgeos s'ile. 3n=oying the
attention. 0a#ing her li'ited
breath for so'ething !orth
saying.
90op? .f . help yo?%
The s'ile !idened and
0''er nodded.
9/hicken or to'ato?%
9/hicken.% The !ord !as a
!hisper. .t !as an effort to
speak. (n effort =st to stay
ali#e, really.
95ood girl.% ('y%s fingers
soght a plse in the
'atchstick !rist as she kissed
0''er%s forehead. .t !as
thready and too fast. (s it
al!ays !as. ( 1ick glance at
the reglator on the oxygen
cylinder !as a relief. The tank
!as still 'ore than half<fll and
there !as a ne! one in the
bedroo' pstairs. One less
task to find ti'e for. 0he ga#e
her another kiss, this ti'e
concentrating on ho! the
child%s skin felt nder her lips.
Was it a little too !ar'? 0he
took off one of the blankets.
9Bietta ('y!% (ngelo called.
9*onna !ants to talk to yo.%
('y took the phone, greeted
her 'other and then listened to
a garbled #ersion of ho! her
grand'other !as doing, ho!
tireso'e the =orney had been
!ith so 'any people tra#eling
to be ho'e for /hrist'as and
ho! !orried she !as abot all
9her% children.
9We%re fine,% ('y said !hen
she cold get a !ord in
edge!ays.
9What are yo feeding
'yba'binos ?%
9Tonight it%s spaghetti and
'eatballs.%
9(nd #egetables?%
9;es.% To'atoes conted as
#egetables, didn%t they?
9,o!%s 0''er?% There !as a
ne! note in her 'other%s #oice
that !ent beyond the expected
anxiety. 0''er !as their
special one. 3#ery day had to
be treasred.
('y cast a glance back at the
coch. 0''er lay 1ietly, =st
!atching. (s she had been all
day.
90he%s happy. 0he !ants
chicken sop for dinner.%
95i#e her an egg. There%s 'ore
goodness in an egg. .t%s her
fa#orite. +ash p the egg and
ct the crsts off the bread and
A%
9/hicken sop is good, too,
+a''a. That%s !hat she !ants
tonight.% ('y !alked to!ards
the pantry as she spoke, to get
the can of sop !hile she
thoght of it. The pantry !as
#ast. ( relic fro' the days !hen
this old hose had had kitchen
staff !ith scllery 'aids !ho
!old ha#e sed the old tbs in
here to scor pans. +any of the
shel#es had nothing 'ore than
dst on the'. ('y needed to
find ti'e to get to a
sper'arket. 0he had to get to
!ork so she cold pay for the
groceries.
90he%s too tired to eat? .s that
it?%
('y%s hesitation said too
'ch. +arcella 6hillips clicked
her tonge in distress. 9"io, bt
. hate being a!ay fro' her.%
9. kno!, +a''a.%
90he%s 'y little angel. ,o! long
is she being lent to s? This
/hrist'as has to be the best.
0he%s in 'y prayers e#ery day
btA%
90he%s on the list for a heart
transplant.That !old be the
best /hrist'as present.%
('y pt the can of sop on the
bench and opened a dra!er to
search for a can opener. The
bolognese sace !as bbbling
enthsiastically. -right spots of
sace !ere landing so'e
considerable distance fro' the
pot. The large pan of !ater
beside it !as finally co'ing to
the boil. ('y dribbled so'e
oli#e oil into the !ater, taking
an anxios glance at her !atch
as she added a handfl of salt.
9. need to go, +a''a. .t%s
dinner ti'e and . ha#e to get
ready forA% ('y bit her lip bt
it !as too late.
9&eady for !hat, ('y
3lisabetta? ;o%re not going
to!ork tonight?%
9. ha#e to, +a''a.% There !as
no point alar'ing her 'other
by telling her ho! e'pty their
hosehold accont !as. 0he
!old discss it endlessly !ith
&osa and that !old only 'ake
things !orse. &osa%s hsband
had left her penniless and this
!as the only ho'e she had for
no!. The boys needed their
'other at ho'e for a little
longer, not ot !orking
becase she felt co'pelled to
help spport the fa'ily.
9;o said yo !old get ti'e
off ntil &osa and . got back.
.t%s only a fe! days. +aybe
to'orro!, e#en.%
9Boe is co'ing to stay !ith the
children.%
9Boe?Boe? 0he%s a child
herself!% The fact that her
'other had s!itched fro'
3nglish to .talian !as a sre
sign that stress le#els !ere
)oo'ing p.
90he%s sixteen, +a''a.
&esponsible.% .t !as 1ite
difficlt to hold the phone and
open a can of sop at the sa'e
ti'e.
96fff!%The sond !as elo1ent.
9&esponsible people do not
keep ptting holes in
the'sel#es.%
9;o get Boe to babysit
yorself. ;o lo#e Boe.%
9*ot at night. *e#erall night.%
9Li))ie%s is only fi#e 'intes%
!alk a!ay. Three if . rn. .%#e
talked to 'y charge nrse. .f
there%s an e'ergency at ho'e,
they%ll let 'e co'e back.%
.f they !ere 1iet, that !as.
9.t !on%t do. We%ll ha#e to co'e
ho'e.%
9-t !hat abot *onna?%
90he%s going to be allo!ed ot
of hospital. +aybe e#en
to'orro!. We%re going to bring
her ho'e !ith s.%
('y%s heart sank. *onna !as
the absolte stereotype of an
old .talian !o'an fro' a s'all
#illage. Tiny, !rinkled and
al!ays shroded in #ol'inos
black clothing, she spoke not a
!ord of 3nglish. 0he !old
hate London.
9(re yo sre abot this,
+a''a?% she asked careflly.
9Of corse .%' sre.%
9-tA%
9-t !hat? ;o ha#e a proble'
!ith yornonna co'ing to li#e
!ith s?% ('y recognised that
tone of ad'onition. .t !as
dangeros. 9;o don%tlo#e yor
*onna?%
9Of corse . do.%
90he can ha#e 7anni%s roo'.%
('y !as silent. This !as =st
getting !orse. 4ncle 7anni%s
roo' 'ight not be a#ailable for
#ery 'ch longer. 0o'ething
had to be said. -t !hat?
(gain, +arcella interpreted the
silence. 9;o think !e%ll lose the
hose? *o, no, no! That isn%t
going to happen,cara . . kno!
7anni 'ade a !ill. .t%s in the
hose so'e!here. We =st
ha#e to find it.%
9We%#e looked e#ery!here. ,is
desk, the bank, e#ery single
box in the attic2%
9,e !as disorganised, 'y
cosin. .t !ill be so'e!here !e
don%t expect.%
The !ater !as boiling no!.
&eady for the pasta. /hantelle
!as cli'bing do!n fro' her
chair at the table, trailing a
string of colored paper loops
for ad'iration. (ngelo and
+arco had #anished and happy
shrieks !ere co'ing fro' the
longe !here the tele#ision
!as.
9.ha#e to go, +a''a,% ('y
said fir'ly. 95i#e *onna a kiss
for 'e. /all 'e to'orro!.%
9;o keep looking. Try the
dresser.%
9What dresser?%
9The one in the kitchen. With
the recipe books and the old2
What are they?% .t !as a sre
sign of o#er!hel'ing stress
!hen !ords failed +arcella.
9The letters to say the bills are
paid?%
9&eceipts.%
90i. There%s a lot of receipts in
there. Other papers, too,
'aybe.%

.t !as getting late by the ti'e
Lke ,arrington had finished
his !ard rond. 7ery late.
9What are yo still doing here,
Lke?%
9. cold ask yo the sa'e
thing, +argaret.%
The charge nrse laghed. 9.%'
legit. .%' doing a long day so .
don%t finish till CDEE p.'., after
hando#er for the night shift.
What%s yor excse?%
9:ohnny 0'ythe got ad'itted.
,eart failre.%
9. heard that. ,e%s ha#ing a bad
rn, isn%t he? 3#en for a "o!n%s
syndro'e child, he%s getting
'ore than his fair share.%
9They can%t pt off the srgery
any longer. .%ll ha#e to try and fit
hi' in in the next cople of
days. To'orro!, possibly.%
9.sn%t !ee Lia' going to
Theatre to'orro!?%
Lke slotted the case notes
he%d been !riting in back into
the trolley. 9.t%s certainly
shaping p to be a long day.%
(nother one. ,e rbbed the
back of his neck, !ondering
!hy he felt 'ore drained than
sal. (h2yes2
9"o yo kno! a nrse called
('y 6hillips?% he asked
+argaret.
9Of corse.% +argaret ga#e hi'
a p))led glance. 9Why do yo
ask?%
90o'eone 'entioned her na'e
today, that%s all. . coldn%t place
it.%
+argaret shook her head.
9,onestly, Lke. 0o'eti'es .
think yo operate on a different
planet. 0he !as a theatre nrse
for ages before she ca'e onto
the !ard here.% ,er look !as
resigned. 9.t%s no !onder yo%re
still single if yo don%t e#en
notice !o'en as gorgeos as
or ('y.%
Lke didn%t discss his
personal life. 0o far, the
hospital grape#ine had been
denied any =icy titbits
regarding his backgrond.
90o'eone else clearly thoght
the sa'e !ay,% he said
dis'issi#ely. 9.t sonded to 'e
as thogh she has 'ore
children than she can 'anage.%
+argaret laghed. 90he has, at
that. ,er 'other has, at any
rate. 0he%s a foster<parent.
They%re lcky children that end
p in the 6hillipses% hose.%
Lke fro!ned. The s1atters
!ere fostering children? .t
didn%t 'ake sense. .t !as also
distrbing. ,e had ordered the
de'olition of a hose fll of
disad#antaged children?
9The latest addition !as
0''er -ell. "o yo re'e'ber
her? That dear little 0o'alian
girl !ho !as here a fe! 'onths
ago?% 0he ga#e Lke a !ry
s'ile. 9;o%re better at
re'e'bering patient na'es
than staff 'e'bers.%
9. operated on her t!ice. Of
corse . re'e'ber.% Lke !as
feeling faintly di))y. ,e needed
to sit do!n. Or escape. (nd it
!as high ti'e he had
so'ething to eat. 90he%s
ter'inal,% he said 1ietly.
94nless a transplant beco'es
a#ailable in ti'e, and !e both
kno! ho! nlikely that is. 0he
!as2sadly2sent ho'e to die.%
( case that !as not one of the
sccess stories. *e#er a good
idea to d!ell on those.
90he had no ho'e to go to,%
+argaret said softly. 9,er foster<
fa'ily coldn%t face looking
after a ter'inally ill child. ('y
had fallen in lo#e !ith her. 0o
did +arcella.%
9+arcella?% The .talian na'e
sent a chill do!n Lke%s spine.
9('y%s 'other.%
90he%s2% Lke s!allo!ed.
90he%s .talian?%
9+arcella is. ('y is half<.talian.
+arcella 'arried an 3nglish
police'an, of all things. ,e
broght his fa'ily to London
!hen ('y !as abot fi#e.%
+argaret !as s'iling. 9;o
!oldn%t kno! she !as half<
3nglish to look at her, 'ind
yo. 0he%s dark and gorgeos
and 'ore than a bit fiery.%
6assionate.
.t felt as if the !alls !ere
closing in. 9. ha#e to go,% Lke
decided alod. ,is sdden
'o#e'ent clearly startled
+argaret enogh to need an
explanation. 93arly start
to'orro!.%
,e needed so'e ti'e alone. To
say he !as shaken !old be an
accrate description, except
that Lke ,arrington did notget
shaken. The physical
'o#e'ent of striding throgh
the fa'iliar corridors of 0t
3li)abeth%s shold ha#e been
enogh to centre hi'self, bt it
!asn%t.
0o'ething had changed.
Tentacles !ere plling at hi'.
Threads of a connection he
hadn%t expected and 'ost
definitely didn%t !ant. +ore than
one of the', too. .t felt like
so'e kind of portal had opened
and it !as follo!ing hi'.
(ll thanks to an inheritance he
!anted nothing to do !ith. (
hose he%d probably dri#en
past a thosand ti'es ntil he%d
learned the significance of the
address and had gone ot of
his !aynot to pass it on his !ay
to and fro' the apart'ent.
,e slid into the dri#er%s seat of
his sleek car and dro#e
s'oothly to the car<park exit.
,e had a lot to do tonight. ,e
!anted to plan the 'a=or
srgery on tiny Lia'. ,e
needed to think abot the best
!ay to tackle :ohnny%s
o#ersi)ed septal defect, as !ell.
,e !asnot going to allo!
hi'self to be distracted. To feel
gilty that he 'ight be
scattering a foster<fa'ily right
before /hrist'as. They !old
be better off so'e!here else.
They !ere li#ing in a
sbstandard hose, for
hea#en%s sake. 6ractically
derelict according to the
independent sr#eyor%s report
on the d!elling he had recei#ed
#ia +r -attersby.
+issing slates on the roof, a
chi'ney that had a dangeros
lean, broken !indo!s that
hadn%t been repaired properly.
,e cold probably see ho!
inappropriate it !as fro' the
otside if he took the ti'e to
dri#e past no! that he kne! the
precise address he !as looking
for.
*o. ,e didn%t !ant to do that.
,e didn%t !ant to go near the
place.
*ot in this lifeti'e.

There!ere a lot of papers in
that htch dresser. ('y !as
sitting in a sea of the'. 0he%d
only 'eant to ha#e a 1ick look
bt so'eho! the table hadn%t
been cleared, the children !ere
not in bed as they shold ha#e
been and she !as rnning ot
of ti'e to sho!er and change
into her nifor'.
(nd no! so'eone !as
ponding on her door.
.t coldn%t be Boe, !ho kne! to
co'e in the back. .n fact, !hy
!asn%t Boe here yet?
9There%s so'eone at the door,
('y.%
9. kno!, /hantelle. Oh, yo%re
in yor py=a'as. 5ood girl.%
90hall . see !ho it is?%
9*o.% .t !as dark and there
sholdn%t be anyone knocking
at this ti'e of the e#ening.
('y%s heart rate picked p as
she !ent into the shado!y
space of the !ide hall!ay. 0he
had a nasty feeling it !as going
to be that elderly solicitor
!ho%d been here earlier. Or
!orse. +aybe it !as the police
co'ing to e#ict the'.
0tanding on tiptoe, ('y peered
throgh the spy hole. 0he
rbbed at the tiny piece of
glass, not belie#ing !hat she
!as seeing. 0he peered harder.
(nd then she opened the door,
!ithot ptting the safety chain
on first.
0he kne! she !as probably
gaping like a stranded fish bt
this !as so !eird!
9+r,arrington ,% she gasped.
9What are yo doing here?%
/,(6T3& TWO
,3 W(0still angry !ith her!
5orgeos looking,
napproachable, i'portant 'en
did not trn p on ('y%s
doorstep. Lke ,arrington !as
so far ot of her leage that this
!as as disconcerting as it
!old ha#e been to find a
'e'ber of the royal fa'ily
knocking on her door.
,o!e#er nprofessional and
nprecedented it 'ight be, the
only explanation ('y cold
co'e p !ith !as that +r
,arrington had fond ot !here
she li#ed and had co'e to yell
at her. On top of the !orry
abot her fa'ily and yet
another fritless search for a
doc'ent that represented
safety for all of the', this !as
too 'ch.
('y al'ost brst into tears.
Like she had last !eek, !hen
she had tterly failed to co'e
p to the standards this
srgeon expected fro' his
staff.
,ad he co'e to tell her not to
bother sho!ing p for !ork
tonight? That he%d persaded
the principal nrsing officer that
('y needed to be let go
!ithot e#en ser#ing any
notice?
.t cold be the final stra!. ,er
fa'ily 'ight soon ha#e no
inco'e, as !ell as no!here to
li#e.
-t !hy !asn%t he saying
anything?
,e !as staring at her. (s
thogh she had =st !alked into
his operating theatre stark
naked or so'ething. (s thogh
he coldn%t belie#e !hat he !as
seeing and it !as so far fro'
being acceptable he coldn%t
decide !hat to do abot it.

,e hadn%t expected her to be
terrified of hi'!
Lke recognised her, of
corse. 0ort of. *ot that he%d
e#er seen her ot of a nifor'
that sally inclded a srgical
'ask and hat, bt those eyes
!ere ni1e. "ark pools of the
#ariety Lke instincti#ely
a#oided e#er letting his ga)e do
'ore than rake past.
The kind of pools 'en !ith
lesser control had difficlty not
falling into.
,e coldn%t drag his ga)e a!ay
this ti'e, ho!e#er. -ecase of
the fear he cold see there.
&eal fear. The kind he often sa!
in the eyes of children !hen
they !ere facing a necessary
bt painfl procedre.
The kind of expression that
'ade yo !ant to protect the'.
To co'fort the' and tell the'
e#erything !as going to be all
right. (nd !hat good !old that
do? 0o'eone had to do the
hard yards. To distance
the'sel#es enogh to be able
to do !hat had to be done to
actally'ake e#erything all
right.
6recisely !hat he%d co'e here
to do. ,e had gone against his
better =dge'ent, ha#ing
parked across the road =st to
confir' the opinion of that
sr#eyor%s report, by deciding
to front p in person. To tell this
('y 6hillips that this sitation
!as not the end of the !orld.
That he%d 'ake sre that sheA
and the childrenA!old find
ne! acco''odation in ti'e for
/hrist'as.
-etteracco''odation, da''it!
Lke dre! in a deep breath.
0he%d asked hi', 1ite
reasonably, !hat he !as doing
there. With an effort, he
dragged his ga)e a!ay fro' her
eyes. (!ay fro' the t'ble of
dark hair !ith enogh crl in it
to 'ake it shine fro' the di'
light of the hall!ay behind her.
Like a halo.
(!ay fro' the !ay her soft
!oollen ='per and tight =eans
clng to cr#es that a scrb
sit or nrses% nifor' had
ne#er re#ealed. (!ay fro' an
apron that !as s'eared !ith
red stains and had !hat looked
like25ood grief, to'ato skins
gled to it? .t !as filthy!
Lke let his breath ot !ith a
rsh that ga#e his !ords 'ore
force than he 'ight ha#e
intended. The !ords
the'sel#es !ere not !hat he%d
planned to say, either, bt a
!a#e of so'ething like otrage
!as bilding. Were these
disad#antaged children in a not
si'ply sbstandard btdirty
hose?
9.%' here becase this is'y
hose,% he said.
0he certainly hadn%t been
expecting that. ,e cold see
shock and then be!ilder'ent
on her face. The nconscios,
s'all head shake that 'ade the
t'ble of !a#es shi#er and
glea'.
(nd then her =a! dropped and
her eyesAas i'possible as that
see'edA'anaged to get e#en
larger. "arker. Lakes instead of
pools no!.
9Oh, 'y 5od!% she
!hispered.9,arrington.%
,e !aited. /rios to kno!
!hat connection she !as
'aking. +aybe she hadn%t
expected this, bt she !as
figring ot !hy it !as
happening.
9,arrington #illage2that !as
!here 4ncle 7anni%s !ife gre!
p.%
4ncle7anni? Was this !o'an
so'e kind of blood relati#e? (
cosin? Or, !orse, a half<sister,
perhaps? The notion !as
distastefl.
4nacceptable.
9The o!ner of this hose !as
yorncle ?%
(nother tiny head shake. 9*ot
really. ,e%s2he !as 'y
'other%s cosin. Or second
cosin. ( distant relati#e, really,
bt they gre! p in the sa'e
#illage in .taly.%
0he 'ade a soft sond of
inexpressible sadness.
93#erybody called hi' 4ncle.
,e2;o2%
Lakes !ere beco'ing pools
again and Lke fond hi'self
transfixed, !atching ('y
6hillips focs.
9There !as a story that
/aroline ca'e fro' an
enor'osly !ealthy fa'ily.
They li#ed in so'e #ast 'anor
hose. We ne#er kne! her
srna'e bt #illages sed to
get na'ed after the 'anor
hoses, didn%t they? ,arrington
#illage. ,arrington +anor.%
('y%s chest rose as she took a
steadying breath. 9;o%re a
,arrington,% she said 1ietly.
9.t%s yor fa'ily?%
0till, Lke re'ained silent,
letting her =oin the dots herself.
0he ran her tonge o#er her
lips as thogh they had beco'e
sddenly dry. .t 'ight be rde
to stare, bt Lke coldn%t look
a!ay for the life of hi'.
9Of corse it is,% ('y
contined. 9;o%re a ,arrington.
We !ere told that the property
!old probably go to one of
4ncle 7anni%s !ife%s relati#es if
a 'ore recent !ill coldn%t be
fond.%
9.t did.% Lke finally spoke. 9.t
ca'e to 'e.%
90o yo%re a nephe! or
so'ething?%
9.%' 5io#anni +oretti%s son.%
9*o.% ('y released her breath
in !hat sonded al'ost like a
sigh of relief. 9There%s been a
'istake. 4ncle 7anni%s son is
dead. ,e !as killed in a terrible
car accident. The sa'e
accident that killed his 'other.%
9('y?% ( s'all #oice !as
calling fro' inside the hose.
9/an . hang 'y strea'ers on
the tree?%
90oon, hon. 6t yor dressing<
go!n and slippers on, thogh.
.t%s free)ing in there. . ha#en%t
had ti'e to light that fire.%
.t!as free)ing. Why hadn%t
Lke noticed the goose<b'ps
on ('y%s forear's !here the
slee#es of the ='per had been
pshed p? Or the !ay she !as
!rapping her ar's arond
herself no!? (nd she !as
shi#ering.
.t !as all #ery !ell for hi'.
Lke had his fll<length, black
cash'ere coat o#er his sit, a
!ar' scarf arond his neck and
soft, fr<lined leather glo#es on
his hands.
*ot only !as this ('y 6hillips
cold, she !as letting icy air into
a hose that had children li#ing
in it.
9+ay . co'e in?% The re1est
!as relctant bt he didn%t ha#e
to go any frther than the front
entrance!ay, did he? 9. !old
like to talk to yo.%
-t ('y !as clearly 'ore
relctant than he !as. 0he
actally had the ner#e to start
shtting the door on hi'.
9There%s nothing to talk abot,%
she said. 9Thereis another !ill
and !e%ll find it. 0oon. ;o can%t
trn 4ncle 7anni%s children ot
into the streets. . !on%t let yo.%
Lke caght the door =st
before it closed. ,e pt his foot
in the gap as insrance. ,e
!asn%t going to lea#e ntil he%d
sorted this ot. .'agine !hat
people !old think if this !as
the story that reached the
hospital grape#ineAthat a
paediatric srgeon had arri#ed
in person to try and trn
children ot to li#e in cardboard
boxes nder a bridge
so'e!here.
To free)e to death in the
coldest "ece'ber anyone
cold re'e'ber. Too cold e#en
to sno!, !hich !as
disappointing e#eryone !ho
!as hoping for a !hite
/hrist'as this year.
9What !as his na'e?% he
de'anded.
94ncle 7anni%s son? ,is na'e
!as Lca.%
The !ord !as said !ith an
.talian pronnciation. .t echoed.
Toching so'e long<bried
'e'ory.
Lca2
,o! old had he been? Three?
Old enogh to re'e'ber his
'other%s #oice?
Lca2
('y !as staring again.
&ealising the i'plication. Lke
!as si'ply the anglicised
#ersion of the na'e. ,e !as
telling the trth, bt she !asn%t
abot to accept it becase it
!asn%t so'ething she !anted
to hear. Wold sho!ing her that
long<faded scar that ran fro'
his left te'ple to his hairline
'ake any difference? .ronic that
he shold find hi'self in the
position of!anting to pro#e he
!as 5io#anni%s son.
9Bietta ('y! 7ieni!
&apidi'ente!%
The langage 'ade Lke flinch
bt, as al!ays, it !as 'ore
intelligible that he !as
co'fortable !ith. +ind yo,
that kind of #erbal alar' !old
transcend any langage
barriers.
9/he cosa sccede?%('y
trned in alar'.97engo!%
0he !as going to see !hy she
!as being s''oned so
rgently. Lke fond hi'self
standing alone on the doorstep
as ('y ran after a s'all boy
!ith crly, dark hair. "o!n the
hall!ay and throgh a door that
see'ed to ha#e a !isp of
s'oke co'ing throgh it.
(nd then he cold s'ell it.
0o'ething !as brning! ( fire
had started in a hose fll of
children.
With a strangled oath, Lke
stepped inside and pshed the
door closed behind hi'.

('y sto'ped on the fla'ing
re'ains of the paper strea'er
that had been inad#ertently
draped o#er the s'all heater,
slipping throgh the grille to
toch the bars.
9. !as =st sho!ing it to
0''er,% /hantelle !ailed. 9.%'
sorry, ('y.%
9.t !as a stpid strea'er,
any!ay.% $orteen<year<old
&obert !as reacting to his
fright by retreating into teenage
srliness. 95irls areso d'b!%
9.%' not d'b,% /hantelle
sobbed, 9(' ., ('y?%
9*o.% -t ('y !as 'ore
!orried abot the s'oky air
and ho! it cold affect
0''er%s breathing. .t !as
hard enogh for her poor,
'alfor'ed heart to get oxygen
into her blood !ithot ha#ing
s'oke added to the 'ix. ('y
reached for the reglator on the
cylinder.
9.%' going to trn p the flo!
for a bit, darling,% she told
0''er. 9.t 'ight tickle yor
nose.%
0''er nodded. The alar' in
her face had begn to fade as
soon as ('y !as in the roo'
and she !as no! !atching !ith
interest as +arco stirred scraps
of charred paper !ith his foot to
dra! shapes on the flagstones.
9"on%t do that,% ('y chided.
9.t%s enogh of a 'ess in here
as it is. /old one of yo please
find the dstpan and brsh in
the scllery and !e%ll clean it
p.% 0he looked p fro'
ad=sting the reglator to see
ho! 'any of the children !ere
in the kitchen and !ho !old
be first to respond to the
re1est.
(nd then she fro)e.
Lke ,arrington !as standing
in the door!ay. 0taring again.
0ilently. Looking absoltely2
appalled.
(nd no !onder! .t !as all too
easy to follo! his line of #ision
and see things fro' his
perspecti#e. ('y cold feel a
hot flsh of 'ortification bloo'.
.f he hadn%t already considered
her to be inco'petent after that
disaster in the !ard the other
day, she !as offering a'ple
proof right no!.
The kitchen !as in tter chaos.
&obert and (ndre! had still
not begn their allocated task
of dish!ashing. 6ots and plates
s'eared !ith to'ato sace and
festooned !ith strings of
spaghetti littered the bench.
-o!ls !ith spoons and pddles
of 'elted ice crea' had been
pshed to one end of the table.
The other end !as cro!ded
!ith ripped<p 'aga)ines,
scissors, rolls of sticky tape
and a pot of gle that had spilt,
'aking a larger pddle that !as
no! congealing arond shreds
of discarded paper.
The doors of the htch dresser
!ere open and it had been ('y
!ho had created the piles of
recipe books, ancient do'estic
paper!ork, long ot<of<date
telephone directories and any
n'ber of other rando' finds
inclding a set of rined
paintbrshes and se#eral half<
e'pty tins of #arnish.
The roo' !as hot and stea'y
and it s'elt of cooking and
s'oke. .t !as dingy becase
one of the bare light blbs that
hng fro' the high ceiling !as
brnt ot and ('y hadn%t had a
chance to hal in the ladder so
she cold replace it. The !alls
!ere co#ered !ith exa'ples of
children%s art!ork bt 'ost of
the pictres hng at drnken
angles becase the tape !as
rendered seless !hen it
beca'e da'p.
(nd there !ere children
e#ery!here in #arios stages of
ndress. /hantelle had py=a'as
on bt, instead of a dressing<
go!n, she had plled on a #ast
!oollen =ersey that had been a
fa#orite of 4ncle 7anni%s. .t
hng do!n to her knees and
her hands !ere hidden
so'e!here !ithin the slee#es.
T!el#e<year<old Kyra had a
!oollen beanie on her head, g
boots on her feet and a
flannelette nightgo!n bet!een
the accessories. 0tanding
together, the girls !ere the
pictre of children !ho looked
like they had no one !ho cared
abot the'.
The t!ins see'ed obli#ios to
their #isitor and 'arched abot
i'portantly. +arco had the
dstpan and (ngelo the
hearthbrsh, bt they coldn%t
decide ho! to co<ordinate their
efforts and !ere finding the
task highly a'sing.
3le#en<year<old (ndre! !as
beside &obert. ,e elbo!ed the
older boy, !ho obligingly
sco!led at Lke.
9Who are yo?% he de'anded,
flshing as his #oice cracked.
9(nd !hat are yo doing here?%
('y caght her breath. This
!as actally rather stnning.
&obert had been passed fro'
foster<ho'e to foster<ho'e in
his short life, beco'ing
progressi#ely 'ore 9difficlt%
and setting p a #icios cycle
!here the things that children
needed 'ostAan accepting,
secre,lo#ing en#iron'ent that
had bondariesA!ere getting
frther and frther fro' his
reach.
,e%d co'e to the 6hillips
hosehold six 'onths ago,
!hich !as already a record for
hi', taken in as +arcella%s !ay
of coping !ith her grief at
losing her belo#ed cosin and a
signal that she intended to
carry on !hat had beco'e a
passion for 7anni. /aring for
9lost% children. -eing told that 9a
'an of the hose% !as needed
had been startling for the
teenaged &obert.
&ight no!Astanding p to this
stranger in their kitchenAit !as
possible he !as reaching ot to
accept that position of
responsibility. That he felt safe
enogh hi'self to feel the need
to protect his 9fa'ily%.
('y still hadn%t let ot her
breath. .'agine if he learned
!hy Lke !as really here? That
he had inherited this hose and
!as planning to kick the' all
ot? That the children 'ight be
separated and &obert cold
find hi'self back in a ho'e
!here no one !as prepared to
accept hi', let alone 'ake hi'
the 'an of the hose.
0he coldn%t let it happen.
/atching Lke%s ga)e, ('y
kne! she !as sending ot a
desperate plea.
9This is +r ,arrington,% she told
&obert. 9,e%s 0''er%s doctor
and he%s =st co'e to 'ake
sre she%s all right.%
9Oh2% &obert straightened his
sholders and beca'e #isibly
taller. 9That%s OK, then.%
('y cold see Lke assessing
the sitation. "eciding !hether
or not to go along !ith her
!hite lie.
6lease, she begged
silently."on%t hrt these
children. (t least gi#e 'e ti'e
to prepare the'. To reassre
the' and find a soltion.
Lke%s face !as
expressionless. ,e looked at
&obert for !hat see'ed like a
long ti'e and then trned
slo!ly to 'eet ('y%s ga)e
again, and she%d ne#er been so
actely a!are of this 'an%s
looks before.
Oh, he !as gorgeos.
3#erybody kne! that. 7ery tall,
#ery dark. ,is featres as
careflly sclpted as the !ay he
carried hi'self. ( bit o#er the
top, reallyAlike that designer
coat, probably $rench, that he
!as !earing so casally
nbttoned to re#eal a
pinstriped sit. There !as a
distinct ara of perfection abot
Lke ,arrington. The !ay he
looked. The !ay he !orked. The
standards he expected fro'
e#eryone arond hi'.
6erfection. /ontrol.
What on earth !as she
thinking, e#en hoping that he
'ight back p so'ething that
!as rather a lot less than the
trth?
*o !onder there !as no hint of
a s'ile on his face !hen he
opened his 'oth to respond.
('y%s heart skipped a beat as it
sank, !aiting for the blo! to
fall.
9That%s right,% Lke said
gra#ely. ,e began to !alk o#er
the flagstones. 0lo!ly. (s
thogh he !as sleep!alking.
,is ga)e still toching ('y%s.
9,o!is 0''er today?%
Tears of gratitde stng ('y%s
eyes and she hrriedly blinked
the' a!ay. (s Lke reached
the coch and bent do!n, his
face loo'ed closer and ('y
cold see !hat had not been
apparent at a distance. ,e kne!
exactly !hat he !as doing by
not contradicting her.
,enderstood .
(nd it !as enogh for hope to
be born.
3nogh to 'ake ('y%s heart
sing and her lips to cr#e into a
s'ile that said exactly ho!
i'portant this !as. ,e
nderstood, so srely he !old
not be able to go ahead and
hrt this fa'ily.

0he !as s'iling at hi'.
(s thogh he%d =st gi#en her
the greatest gift anyone cold
e#er recei#e.
.t 'ade her eyes sparkle and
the !ar'th e'anating fro' that
s'ile see'ed to enter e#ery
cell of Lke%s body.
,e felt2!eird.
6o!erfl and generos and2
and like he%d done so'ething
!onderfl.
,o! ridiclos !as that?
(ll he%d done had been to keep
the real natre of this #isit
pri#ate fro' a bnch of children
!ho shold not be in#ol#ed in
bsiness bet!een adlts.
.t didn%t 'ean that he !as
abot to change his 'ind. *o
'atter ho! gorgeos that s'ile
!as. Lke dragged his ga)e
a!ay fro' ('y%s face.
9,ey, 0''er. .t%s been a !hile
since . sa! yo.%
(to'atically, he took the tiny
!rist bet!een his fingers to feel
her plse and !atched the
s'all chest to assess ho!
'ch effort !as going into
breathing. 6ost<srgery,
patients like 0''er -ell
retrned to the care of a
cardiologist so nless Lke
'ade an effort, it !as hard to
keep p !ith ho! !ell they
!ere doing.
(nd this little girl !as not
doing #ery !ell. Little 0''er
!as the kind of case that cold
break yor heart if yo let it.
0o'e 'onths ago, Lke had
done his best to 'ake final
corrections to the 'a=or
congenital ano'alies of her
heart and the #essels that
connected it to her lngs, bt
there !as only so 'ch that
cold be done. (nd in this case,
it hadn%t been enogh.
.f she stayed ali#e long
enogh, she !old be a
candidate for a heart transplant,
bt her condition !as clearly
deteriorating.
9,a#e yo got a plse
oxi'eter?% Lke 1eried.
9*o.%
9( stethoscope?%
(gain, ('y shook her head
and Lke tried to psh aside his
frstration. This !as a hose,
not a hospital !ard, after all.
0''er !as probably fortnate
to ha#e a 1alified nrse caring
for her.
Or she !old be, if that
1alified nrse !asn%t rnning
so'e kind of orphanage. Lke
looked o#er his sholder. The
t!o s'all boys behind hi'
!ere scffling o#er their
s!eeping dties. 5iggling. They
!ere indistingishable and,
Lke had to ad'it, #ery cte.
/rly and dark and energetic.
&ather like the !o'an they had
called, !hat had it beenA
Bietta? (nty? ,e shifted his
ga)e to ('y !ho !as !atching
hi' assess 0''er, her eyes
!ide and anxios.
9,o! 'any children do yo
ha#e li#ing here?%
('y blinked. 0he looked
ner#os, Lke decided. Was
she thinking he !as abot to
criticise her ability to care for a
sick child becase there !ere
too 'any other de'ands on her
attention?
,e cold see no reason to do
so, so far. 0''er !as !ar'
and co'fortable and looked
happy. 0he !as recei#ing
oxygen. 6res'ably being
gi#en all her 'edications or she
!old be a lot !orse than she
!as. What 'ore cold anyone
be doing?
9&ight no!?% ('y !as
responding. 90e#en.%
9(nd yo%re trying to care for
the' all? -y yorself?%
,er chin lifted a fraction. 0he
had taken his incredlos
1estion as criticis' rather
than concern.
9Of corse not,% she said. 9+y
'other is the official foster<
parent. +y sister also li#es
here. +arco and (ngelo are her
children. +y nephe!s.%
90o !here is yor 'other? (nd
yor sister?% ,e !old ha#e to
speak to the' all. Three .talian
!o'en !ho !ere not going to
like !hat he had to say, 5od
help hi'!
94'2% ('y%s ga)e slid
side!ays. 9They%re in .taly =st
at the 'o'ent.%
9-isnonna%s sick,% (ngelo piped
p helpflly. 90he is a sick2% ,e
looked at ('y
1estioningly.9/ore?%
9,eart,% ('y spplied. 90hehas
a sick heart. .t%s 'y
grand'other,% she explained to
Lke. 90he%s had an +.. +y
'other had to go to her and she
needed 'y sister to tra#el !ith
her. . coldn%t lea#e becase .
ha#e to !ork.%
Lke%s eyebro!s rose
in#olntarily.
9.t%s only for a day or so.
They%re going to bring *onna
back.%
Lke scked in a breath.
9,ere?%
9;es,% ('y said fir'ly. 9,ere.
We%re going to gi#e her 4ncle
7anni%s roo'.%
Lke let his breath ot slo!ly.
0o he !as not only going to
ha#e to find sitable
acco''odation for a collection
of children, inclding one !ho
!as ter'inally ill, he no! had to
thro! an elderly, recperating
cardiac patient into the 'ix.
With a be'sed shake of his
head, he trned back to
so'ething 'ch easier to deal
!ith. 0''er.
9/an . listen to yo heart,
chicken?% he asked. 9With 'y
ear?%
('y looked startled bt
0''er didn%t see' to 'ind
the nsal re1est and the
t!ins !ere fascinated to see
Lke bend his head to place his
ear directly on 0''er%s bare,
frail chest.
9What yo doing?% +arco
asked.
9.%' listening to 0''er%s
heart. (nd her lngs.%
9/an . listen, too?%
9*o.% .t !as ('y !ho spoke. 9.
!ant yo boys to go and get
into the bath before it gets cold.
5o no!. 0hoo!% she added as
the t!ins shffled relctantly.
9.%ll be p in a 'inte to 'ake
sre yo%#e !ashed behind
yor ears.%
9/an !e 'ake it hot again?%
9:st a little bit. The big boys
still ha#en%t had their bath.%
The infor'ation that the hot<
!ater spply in the hose !as
less than ideal barely filtered
into the back of Lke%s 'ind
thanks to his concentration.
3#en !ithot the 'agnification
a stethoscope !old ha#e
pro#ided, he cold hear all he
needed to reassre hi'self
there !as nothing 'a=or
happening on top of the
expected 'r'rs of abnor'al
blood flo! throgh 0''er%s
heart.
,e lifted the blankets a
'o'ent later to check her
ankles. There !as no s!elling
to sggest that her heart failre
!as not nder control bt he
still !asn%t entirely happy and
he kne! he !as fro!ning as he
looked at ('y.
,er face !as so2ali#e. 0he
cold talk !ithot saying a
!ord. Lke cold see she
nderstood his dis1iet
perfectly. That she also sensed
so'ething !as bre!ing bt, as
yet, there !as nothing to point
ot the direction any
deterioration !as taking. .t !as
i'pressi#e that this nrse
cold share !hat !as an
instincti#e !arning bell. .t !as
so'e!hat distrbing that they
cold co''nicate al'ost
telepathically.
('y probably fond it e1ally
distrbing. 9We%re looking after
her,% she said alod. 9We all lo#e
0''er.% 0he stooped to kiss
the child. 9.%' going get yor
'edicine no!, darling, and pt
yo to bed. Boe%s co'ing to
look after yo and read yo a
story.%
9Boe?%
9The babysitter. .%' on night
shift tonight.%
Lke !as shocked. 9;o%re
going to !ork? Tonight?%
,er look !as steady and Lke
al'ost felt e'barrassed. ;es,
she cold co''nicate #ery
!ell non<#erbally. -ills needed
to be paid, the look said.
+oths needed to be fed. *ot
e#erybody had the lxry of
being able to afford designer
coats. 0o'e people had no
choice abot ha#ing to !ork, no
'atter ho! difficlt it 'ight be.
9&obert%s here, as !ell.% ('y
'otioned to!ards the lanky boy
!ho !as no! !ashing dishes.
9,e%s forteen and he%s or 'an
of the hose.%
Lke cold hear the pride in
('y%s tone. ,e cold see the
!ay the corner of &obert%s
'oth t!itchedAas thogh he
!as sppressing a pleased
s'ile. The teenager didn%t trn
to!ards the', ho!e#er.
.nstead, he spoke grffly to the
yonger boy beside hi'.
95et those bo!ls off the table,%
he ordered. 9They need doing,
as !ell.%
9That%s (ndre!,% ('y told
Lke. 9,e%s ele#en.% 0he s'iled
at the boy. 9;o%re doing a great
=ob, (ndy. Thank yo.%
The t!ins had disappeared,
pres'ably into the bath, bt
the t!o girls !ere still at the
table and Lke raised an
eyebro!. 0eeing as they had
started introdctions, they
'ight as !ell finish.
9/hantelle%s eight and Kyra%s
t!el#e,% ('y said cooperati#ely.
9They%#e both been li#ing !ith
s for nearly t!o years no!.%
9('y?% /hantelle had her
hands fll of paper loops. 9/an
!e pt these on the tree no!?%
('y nodded. 9(nd then it%s bed
for yo and ho'e!ork for Kyra.
.%' going to pt 0''er to bed
no! and get changed for !ork.%
9OK.% The girls headed throgh
the door.
Lke sddenly felt as thogh
he didn%t belong there. ,e
shold get ot of the !ay and
let ('y sort ot her
ncon#entional hosehold.
9. still need to talk to yo,% he
!arned.
0rprisingly, ('y nodded.
95i#e 'e a fe! 'intes to get
0''er to bed and the other
children organised. 4nless it
can !ait ntil to'orro!?%
9. don%t think so.% Lke !anted
to get it o#er !ith. ,e had no
intention of co'ing back here
to'orro!. Or any other day, for
that 'atter.
('y disconnected the tbing
fro' the oxygen cylinder and
gathered 0''er into her
ar's. ( fe! 'intes later, the
boys finished their task of
clearing the bench and also left
the kitchen. Lke fond hi'self
alone, the noise of acti#ity and
#oices fading into the distance.
,e scanned the roo'. The old
range still had spots of brnt
sace all o#er it. The table !as
a 'ess and it looked as thogh
so'ebody had had a tantr'
!ith the contents of the htch
dresser. Why !as it being
e'ptied all o#er the floor like
that? ,ad ('y been searching
for so'ething?
Like a !ill?
Wasthere another !ill that
!old ha#e left the hose to its
crrent occpants? ,is
infor'ation !as that the only
!ill e#er recorded by 5io#anni
+oretti had been 'ade shortly
after his 'arriage to /aroline
,arrington in !hich he had left
all his !orldly goods to his !ife
and any children they 'ight be
blessed !ith. ,is !ife had died
o#er thirty years ago, ho!e#er,
and he%d ne#er bothered to
locate his child. .t !as 1ite
possible he !old be less than
happy !ith !hat had
e#entated.
Well, togh! .f he !asn%t getting
!hat he !anted, it !as exactly
!hat he deser#ed. 3#en if
hehad 'ade another !ill, Lke
cold contest it and no dobt
!in the case easily as the
closest li#ing relati#e.
0till2Lke felt nco'fortable.
+o#e'ent see'ed a good
distraction and it cold be
sefl. (lready he cold see
things that 'ade this hose
sbstandard, like the old
cooker, the dripping taps, the
bare light blbs and the peeling
paint on the ceiling. Was the
rest of the hose in e#en !orse
condition? ( list of sch
inade1acies !old strengthen
his case that better
acco''odation !old be 'ore
sitable for these people.
(nd !ith that in 'ind, Lke
dis'issed his a#ersion to being
inside this hose and set off to
explore.
/,(6T3& T,&33
.T W(0!orse than he had
expected.
Or perhaps better, gi#en that
he !as looking for a''nition
!ith !hich to strengthen his
position.
( large roo' next to the
kitchen and scllery co'plex
had a tele#ision in one corner. (
fire brned 'errily, safely
co#ered by a !ire screen, bt
the !ar'th and cleanliness of
the roo' !as easy to o#erlook.
Lke%s attention !as on
se#eral #ery old and
'is'atched coches that cold
!ell ha#e been resced fro' a
rbbish d'p, !ith their l'py
cshions and frayed fabrics.
-attered toys lay scattered
abot, so'e of the lead<light
!indo!s had cracks co#ered
!ith 'asking tape and, if he
concentrated, he cold feel a
draft of icy air arond his
ankles.
The t!o older boys lay on the
floor in front of the tele#ision
!ith !hat looked like
school!ork arond the'.
&obert noticed Lke entering
the roo' and he cold feel the
challenging glare on his back
as he !alked o#er to a set of
$rench doors. This !as !here
the draft !as co'ing fro' bt
Lke cold see !hy the
crtains had not been dra!n.
The ancient #el#et !old
probably disintegrate nder the
pressre re1ired to pll the'
into place.
3nogh light escaped the roo'
to ill'inate a flagged terrace
area and the shaggy edges of a
large, dark garden. Lke kne! it
!as a large garden becase a
plan of the property had been
inclded !ith the paper!ork his
solicitor had sent hi' !eeks
ago no!.
Large!as not really the !ord
for it, he thoght, staring ot at
the s'dged otlines of old
trees. .t !as #ast by London
standards. With the hose
re'o#ed, it !old be easy to
bild an entire apart'ent block
on the site. With &egent%s 6ark
#irtally across the road, it
!asn%t reasonable for anyone to
sit on pri#ate parkland that
spported only one d!elling.
$inancially, it !as =st plain
stpid.
The obser#ation he !as still
nder fro' &obert 'ade Lke
#agely nco'fortable bt he
!as satisfied !ith the list of
inade1acies he had noted in
this roo', so he ackno!ledged
the boys !ith a nod and
so'e!hat tight s'ile, lea#ing
the roo' to cross the !ide
hall!ay !here he entered !hat
'st ha#e originally been a
dra!ing roo'.
There !ere 'ore leaded
!indo!s here and the fanlights
had colored glass in an
intricate pattern. The ceiling in
this roo' !as #ery high and the
plaster!ork #ery ornate, bt it
failed to i'press Lke. ,o!
cold it !hen it !as a pale
i'itation of the architectral
splendor ,arrington +anor
had to offer and !hen its
condition !as so bad? The
paint on this ceiling !as
peeling off in large flakes.
6robably lead<based paint,
Lke decided. "angeros for
children.
0ch as the t!o girls !ho !ere
sitting on a faded rg in front of
a ca#ernos fireplace that
contained so'e half<brnt logs
and no dobt pro#ided a
!histling, icy draft. The girls
didn%t notice Lke enter the
roo' becase they !ere too
intent on ad'iring their
handi!ork.
( tall bt scraggly tree branch
Apossibly ye!A!as propped
p in a plastic bcket that had a
tartan ribbon tied arond it.
+ore of the tartan ribbon !as
tied in bo!s on the branch
offshoots and it !as no! also
draped !ith the strings of paper
loops he%d seen /hantelle
carrying.
9We need an angel,% he heard
her say to Kyra. 9$or the top.%
9(ngels are expensi#e,% Kyra
said dobtflly. 9There 'ight
not be enogh 'oney if !e%re
all going to get a present.%
9We cold 'ake one.%
Kyra shook her head. 9That
!old be a really hard thing to
'ake. We cold 'ake a star,
thogh. ( really big one and .
think !e%#e got so'e glitter.%
90il#er glitter?% /hantelle asked
hopeflly.
9*o. . think it%s ble. Or green.
.t%s left o#er fro' that birthday
card !e 'ade &obert.%
9Oh2That !as ble. %/os he%s
a boy, re'e'ber?%
9Oh, yeah2That%s right.%
-le didn%t see' to be
acceptable. Lke !atched as
/hantelle !riggled closer to
Kyra and the older girl pt her
ar' arond her sholders.
9.t%s still beatifl,% Kyra said.
9(nd !e%re lcky. 0o'e kids
don%t e#en get a tree.%
(nd so'e had so 'any
beatifl ne! decorations, they
had no se for a big box of
older ones. .'agine ho!
excited these girls !old be if
they had that !hole box that
had been left in the !ard office.
.t !oldn%t be hard to pick it p
and lea#e it on the doorstep
here.
The apparent brilliance of the
idea !as srprising. The
strength of desire to follo! it
throgh !as nsettling. What
!as he thinking? The cleaners
had 'ost likely taken the box
a!ay as rbbish by no! and
e#en if they hadn%t, all he%d
achie#e !old be to gi#e the
i'pression that he !anted
these children to stay here and
en=oy /hrist'as. ,e cold
'ake sre they got a 'ch
better tree so'e!here else. .n
their ne! ho'e. ( real sprce
tree that had gifts beneath it
and an angel on the top.
The girls needed to be cddled
together for 'ore than co'fort.
That fire !old ha#e to be !ell
stoked for a long ti'e to take
the chill off this enor'os
roo'. ,e took note of a slightly
da'p s'ell, as !ell, as he
slipped ot.
( peal of childish laghter
drifted do!n the s!eep of the
staircase at the end of the
hall!ay, bt fortnately Lke
cold think of no reason he
needed to go pstairs. 3xcept
that he felt criosly
disappointed. (lthogh he had
seen enogh to fel the
arg'ent he kne! !as
loo'ing, he decided to check
ot the last do!nstairs roo'.
6erhaps the distinct feeling of
disco'fort at !hat he !as
doing here !old be relie#ed if
he fond so'ething 'ore
personal to the pre#ios o!ner
of this hose.
0o'ething that 'ight rekindle
the anger that had gro!n fro'
the loneliness of being so
different. (lone. -roght p
isolated fro' parents or
siblings. 4n!anted to the
extent that not e#en a spark of
responsibility re'ained.
,e hit the =ackpot throgh the
door that opened beneath the
staircase. ,a#ing trned on the
light and instantly sensing that
this roo'%s occpant had been
absent for so'e ti'e, Lke
fro)e.
This !as it. (!ay fro' an
pstairs inhabited by n'eros
!o'en and children, this had
been a 'an%s do'ain. The old
brass bed had a 'aroon co#er.
( dark !oollen dressing<go!n
hng on one of the brass knobs
and a pair of !ell<sed 'en%s
slippers lay beneath it. (
'aroon color, like the
bedspread, the !oollen toes of
the slippers !ere a little frayed
and the sheepskin lining
s1ashed into an off<!hite felt.
They cold ha#e been anyone%s
slippers.
3xcept they !eren%t.
These slippers had been !orn
by 5io#anni +oretti.
,is father.
Lke%s 'oth !as dry. ,e
hadn%t expected anything like
this. ,e%d gro!n p kno!ing
that his father !as a 'onster.
&esponsible for his 'other%s
death and too ncaring to think
of his son. ,e had been an ogre
ntil Lke had been old enogh
to start feeling angry. To start
hating the 'an. 3#en then, he
had al!ays see'ed larger than
life. (n ene'y. ( 'an po!erfl
enogh to rin the li#es of
others.
-t hge, po!erfl, e#il 'en
did not !ear slippers like this.
They didn%t collect ho'eless
children and get called 94ncle%
by e#eryone, either. ,is father
had o!ned this hose and
pres'ably li#ed in London
sincehe had been fi#e years
old, and he%d ne#er 'ade
contact. *e#er re'e'bered a
birthday or sent a letter. (nd yet
he%d left hi' this hose.
Why?
To nderline the fact that he
had existedAclose byAand
hadn%t gi#en a da'n? To 'ake
sre Lke ne#er forgot?
(s if he cold!
Lke cold actally taste the
bitterness that rose !ithin hi'.
5io#anni +oretti had cared
abot the children other people
didn%t !ant, bt he hadn%t cared
abot his o!n son.
,e !as right to hate this 'an.
To dis'iss his lifeAand this
roo'A!ith no 'ore than a
crsory look.
( ga)e that took in a plain
dressing<table that had a brsh
and co'b on its dsty srface
and nfra'ed photographs
=a''ed into the fra'e arond
the large 'irror. 0napshots of
people. "o)ens of the'. Lke
fond his feet 'o#ing in 'ch
the sa'e !ay as he%d been
dra!n to!ards ('y and
0''er in the kitchen. 6lled
by so'ething he coldn%tAor
didn%t !ant toAidentify.
One photograph stood ot
fro' the rest. .n pride of place
'aybe, at the top left<hand
corner. Or 'aybe it looked
different becase it !as older.
/rled at the edges. The hairs
on the back of Lke%s neck
prickled as he stepped closer,
ho!e#er. What, in 5od%s na'e,
!as a photograph of hi'self
doing in this 'an%s roo'?
.t !asn%t hi'. Of corse it
!asn%t. The explanation !as
genetic. This !as a pictre of
his father taken 'ore than thirty
years ago !hen he had looked
extraordinarily like Lke did
no!.
The gorgeos blonde !o'an in
the photograph !as =st as
easily recognisable. /aroline
,arrington had been fro)en in
ti'e and had al!ays looked like
this as far as Lke had kno!n.
3xcept there !as a difference
here. /o'pared to the stdio
portraits 5rand'other had in
plenty, this !as =st a candid
shot. The focs !asn%t perfect
and the colors had faded.
What !as e#en 'ore different
!as his 'other%s expression.
0heer =oy radiated fro' her
face as she looked p at the
'an beside her.
3#en the baby in her ar's
see'ed to be laghing. Tiny
fists pnched the air in an
exberance of happiness. Lke
had ne#er seen a photograph of
hi'self as a baby. $or a long,
long 'o'ent, he si'ply stood
there. 0taring.
0hocked.
$aintly, the sond of feet
rnning do!n the stairs and
('y%s #oice filtered throgh the
ha)e.
9.%ll be back p in a 'inte,%
('y !as calling. 9. =st need to
talk to +r ,arrington before he
goes ho'e.%
There !as no ti'e to try and
analyse any of the odd,
nsettling e'otions Lke !as
experiencing. (nd there !as no
point, !as there? .t !as all in
the past and best forgotten.
"estroying the e#idence !old
'ake it all so 'ch si'pler.
Withot really thinking abot
!hat he !as doing, Lke
tgged the photograph free of
the 'irror and slipped it into his
coat pocket. ,e flicked the light
off as he left the roo' and
strode back to!ards the
kitchen. The sooner he left this
hose the better.
(ll he had to do !as 'ake sre
('y nderstood that the sa'e
applied to her.

('y !ond a rbber band
arond the end of the sleek
$rench plait ta'ing her hair that
she had acco'plished before
haling the t!ins fro' the bath
and getting the' dry and into
their py=a'as. 0he changed
into the tnic top and trosers
of her nifor' as the boys
scra'bled into the bnk beds
in the roo' they shared !ith
&obert and (ndre!. 0he laced
co'fortable shoes onto her feet
as she sat on the end of the
trndle bed in her roo' !here
0''er !as no! tcked p.
The bedroo' oxygen cylinder
!as fll and the coal fire stoked
and screened. 0''er !as
!ar' and already asleep. ('y
kissed her, hating it that she
had to lea#e to go to !ork.
9Boe !ill be here any 'inte,%
she !hispered, 'ore to
reassre herself than anyone
else. 90he%s going to sleep in
'y bed so she%ll be right here
beside yo.%
0he kissed her again, and
stroked her hair softly. One of
these nights, 0''er !as
going to go to sleep and si'ply
not !ake p.
*ot tonight. 6lease2*ot before
/hrist'as!
5i#ing her nifor' a final tg
into place and letting the t!ins
kno! she%d be back p to say
good<night, ('y ran do!n the
stairs. .t !as a'a)ing ho!
being clean and tidy and ready
for !ork 'ade her feel so 'ch
'ore in control.
&eady for anything.
Or al'ost anything. The e'pty
kitchen took the !ind ot of her
sails 'o'entarily. 0o did the
odd expression on +r
,arrington%s face !hen he
appeared a fe! seconds later.
,ad he been snooping? Wold
that explain the criosly gilty
flash she thoght she sa! in
his eyes?
9This hose is appalling,% Lke
said !ithot prea'ble, !alking
to!ards ('y. 9.t%s falling to
pieces.% ,e stopped !hen he
reached the kitchen table,
resting a hand on the back of
one of the chairs. 9.t%s neither a
safe nor a healthy en#iron'ent
for anyone to li#e in.
6articlarly children.3specially
a sick child. .t%s si'ply not fit
for h'an habitation.%
9Welo#e it.% ('y%s heart sank at
the !obble in her #oice. 0he
cold do !ith a chair to hang
onto herself. ,o! had that
confidence she%d broght
do!nstairs !ith her e#aporated
so instantly?
+aybe there !as a
disad#antage to !earing her
nifor', as !ell. The
confidence 'ight be part of her
!ork fra'e of 'ind bt !ork
!as a place !here no one
!old drea' of dispting the
athority of so'eone like Lke
,arrington.
0o'eone !hose !rath !as
feared. ;o 'ade sre children
!ere !here they !ere
spposed to be !hen +r
,arrington !as de for ronds.
;o picked p toys that cold
be tripped o#er. ;o 'ade
absoltely sre that any test
reslts !ere a#ailable and yo
sy'pathised !ith the registrars
and hose'en !ho had to !ork
to their t'ost ability to !in
recognition fro' this
perfectionist srgeon.
9;o%ll find so'ething else is
far 'ore sitable,% Lke said
fir'ly. 9( hose that has
ade1ate inslation and central
oil<fired heating and pl'bing
that !orks, for instance.%
,e !as so confident. 0tanding
there all dark and serios and
so sre of hi'self. 0o far abo#e
('y in any pecking order she
cold think of. .t took corage
to stand p to hi'.
9We can%t afford to rent a hose
like that. *ot big enogh for all
of s. *ot in central London,
that%s for sre.%
90o 'o#e a!ay fro' London,
then. 0rely a rral
en#iron'ent !old be a better
place to be rnning a2
!hate#er the 'odern e1i#alent
of an orphanage is?%
9( foster<ho'e,% ('y
responded 1ietly. 9(nd so'e
of these children retain contact
!ith their birth fa'ilies. Kyra
#isits her 'other e#ery cople
of !eeks. 0he%s hoping she can
'o#e ho'e again one day. That
contact !old be lost if !e
'o#ed a!ay.%
('y took a step closer. 0he
had to 'ake hi' see ho!
i'portant this !as. ,er #oice
rose bt she !as pleased to
hear it gaining strength. 9We%d
probably lose the children
becase 0ocial 0er#ices tries to
place the' in a radis of their
o!n ho'es for precisely that
kind of reason. They need
so'ething fa'iliar in their
territory like a school. (nd
besides2% ('y straightened
her back and glared at Lke,
otrage coloring her tone.
9This is 'yho'e . . ca'e here
to li#e !hen . !as ten years old.
When 'y dad died. 4ncle 7anni
!as like a father to 'y sister
and 'e. There%s no !ay he
!old ha#e !anted s to lose
this hose. Thereis another !ill.
Therehas to be.%
9(rrange'ents are already in
place,% Lke said !ith finality.
9The hose is going to be
de'olished.%
9O#er 'y dead body!%('y
snarled.
The srgeon !as clearly taken
aback by sch blatant defiance.
-t then he si'ply trned a!ay
as thogh he coldn%t see any
point in contining this
discssion. ,e !as a#oiding
eye contact. ,e didn%t intend to
be persaded that any
#ie!point other than his o!n
'ight be legiti'ate.
9We%re going to contest the
!ill,% ('y added bra#ely. 0he
stared at the #ein on Lke%s
te'ple that had beco'e
sddenly 'ore ob#ios. ,e had
to be incredibly angry. -eside
the #ein, the tiny line of a scar
ran fro' the side of his left eye
p!ards to disappear nder the
!a#es of dark hair. 0he%d ne#er
noticed that before, bt !hy
!old she? The only ti'es she
had been this close to the
srgeon had been !hen he%d
been !earing a hat and 'ask.
9,a#e yo any idea ho!
horrendosly expensi#e that
!old be?%
9We%re getting legal aid.% ('y
crossed her fingers behind her
back. 0hehoped they !ere
getting legal aid. 9(nd there%s
no !ay yo can do anything
abot de'olishing this hose
!hile !e%re still li#ing in it
and2and !e%renot 'o#ing.%
0he resisted the rge to add,0o
there!
That scar !as disconcerting.
The kind of scar that cold be
left fro' a long<ago in=ry.
/learly, her nexpected and
n!elco'e #isitor !as telling
the trth bt it begged the
1estion of !hy 4ncle 7anni
had not kno!n the trth.
Or had he?
('y tilted her head =st
enogh to be able to discern
that scar again. ,ad 4ncle
7anni been afraid of !hat 'ight
ha#e been the reslt of an
horrific head in=ry? ,ad the
thoght of trying to raise a
disabled son alone been too
'ch?
*o. That didn%t 'ake sense
becase 4ncle 7anni had
de#oted his life to helping other
people%s children. .nclding
disabled children, like 0''er.
-t, then, !hy had he stayed in
London and not retrned to his
nati#e contry? -ecase he
coldn%t bring hi'self to get
that far a!ay fro' his son? .t
!as confsing. "istrbing.
9+y solicitor !ill be in toch.
,is na'e is &eginald
-attersby.%
9.%#e 'et hi'.% ('y stepped
side!ays, trying to position
herself bet!een Lke and the
door. 0he coldn%t let hi' lea#e
like this. Where had that ray of
hope gone? ,e nderstood,
didn%t he? ,e%d protected the
children by going along !ith
her lie.
(nd !hat abot that strange
sensation she%d experienced
!hen she had !atched hi'
listen to 0''er%s chest
!ithot the benefit of a
stethoscope? To see his ear
laid so gently on tiny, fragile
ribs? The !ay his half<closed
eyes had 'ade the dark fan of
his eyelashes and the
shado!ing of stbble on his
=a! so 'ch 'ore noticeable.
There had been 'ore than hope
in the criosly !ar', fi))y
sensation flooding ('y at that
point. Trst had been 'ixed
!ith hope, da''it!
What had changed !hile she
had been pstairs? 0he
coldn%t ha#e been that !rong,
srely? What had she done to
deser#e ha#ing that ne!fond
trst broken?
.t !asn%t fair.
+ore than that. .t !asn%tright.
9Why do yo !ant to do this?%
('y de'anded. 9What ha#e
yo got against s?%
9*othing. 4ntil #ery recently .
had no idea 'y2father !as
li#ing here. 4ntil today . had no
idea !ho yo !ere.%
That !as a good !ay to fel
her anger. .f he%d had no idea
his father had li#ed here, it
'ight explain !hy he%d ne#er
#isited before, bt she !orked
!ith this 'an, for hea#en%s
sake. ,e%d ba!led her ot only
days ago, bt she hadn%t been
i'portant enogh for hi' to
bother learning her na'e.
*e#er 'ind !hat she%d seen
!ith 0''er. Lke ,arrington
!as not a nice 'an.
('y%s control snapped. 0he
!as 'ore than ready to go into
battle to defend her fa'ily.
9.t%ll look good, !on%t it?% she
said !ith decepti#e s!eetness.
9The photo in the papers !ith
s all sitting in the street? &ight
before /hrist'as. .n thesno! .
With 0''er%s oxygen
cylinder. +illions of people !ill
see that so'eone !ho%s
spposed to care abot
children doesn%t really gi#e a
da'n. 3#en abot one of his
o!n patients.%
Lke%s face !as gri'. 9That
isn%t going to happen. &eginald
is going to find sitable
acco''odation. $orall of yo.%
9.n the sa'e place? . dobt it.
We stick together here,% ('y
!arned. 9(nd . also dobt that
yor &eginald has any idea
abot !hat%s sitable. The
'an%s as old as +ethselah. ,e
probably thinks foster<children
shold be earning their keep
s!eeping chi'neys.%
9"on%t be ridiclos!%
-t ('y !as =st !ar'ing p.
9(nd e#en if yo don%t gi#e a
da'n abot s, !hat ha#e yo
got against this hose? .t%s
gorgeos! 3arly 7ictorian
architectre that deser#es to be
preser#ed. ( lot of people !ill
be #ery pset !hen they learn
it%s going to be blldo)ed. We%ll
probably get any n'ber happy
to chain the'sel#es to the
railings. The 'edia !ill lo#e
that, too.%
9The hose is falling do!n. .t%s
not e#en safe!%
9.t cold be fixed.%
9.t !old cost a fortne.%
9$ro' !hat .%#e heard, that%s
exactly !hat yo%#e got sitting
in the bank!%
Ooh, she%d stepped o#er the
line no!. Onto the kind of
personal grond that hospital
grape#ines thri#ed on. ('y
didn%t need to see the
dangeros glint in Lke%s eyes
to kno! that he !old hate
being the sb=ect of gossip.
0he also had the distinct feeling
she !as going to regret this.
9What 'akes yo think .%'
planning to keep the proceeds
fro' this property?% Lke
snapped. 9*ot that it%s any of
yor da'n bsiness, bt .
intend to donate any profits to
an appropriate charity.%
('y%s =a! dropped. ,e didn%t
need the 'oney. ,e didn%t !ant
the hose. ,e !as planning to
get rid of it andgi#e the 'oney
a!ay?
Why not =st gi#e the hose
a!ay?
Tothe' ?
,e had plled his glo#es and
keys fro' a pocket of the black
coat. ,e !as ready to lea#e and
he only had to step arond ('y
to reach the door. ,e began to
do =st that.
9W<!ait,% she sta''ered. 0he
needed to repair the da'age
she%d =st done. To find a !ay
to present their case cal'ly. To
get do!n on her knees and beg
if that !as !hat it !old take.
9What for?% The disgst in
Lke%s tone sggested that
nothing ('y cold say !old
be !orth listening to.
9$or2for2% $or the children,
('y !anted to cry. $or 'y
'other and sister and
grand'other. $or'e . -t tears
threatened to choke her !ords
and she needed to think. To say
so'ething that !old stop Lke
!alking ot the door.
(nd in that tiny gap of ti'e as
she hesitated, a cold !ind
rshed into the roo'. There
!as a lod bang as the back
door fro' the scllery to the
garden sla''ed and then2
9Boe!%('y scked in her breath
at her babysitter%s precipitos
entrance.
The girl had ob#iosly been
rnning and no! she stood
there !ith her 'oth opening
and closing bt no sond
e'erging as she tried to catch
her breath. The anorak she !as
!earing had a ripped slee#e.
9Boe?% This ti'e ('y let her
concern sho!. 9.s e#erything all
right?%
9*o!%
9What%s !rong?%
9-ernie!%
9-ernie? (s in yor ''%s
boyfriend?%
9;eah2% Boe 'anaged a deeper
breath. 9%/ept he%s not =st a
boyfriend any 'ore. ,e%s aA
What do yo call it !hen yo%re
gonna get 'arried?%
9$iance?%
9;eah. ,e%s gonna 'o#e in and
he says +onty%s got to go.%
9What? Why?%
9,e says he%s =st a s'elly
stray and he%s too big and he
costs too 'ch to feed and
he%s2he%s going to getrid of
hi'!% Boe brst into tears.
('y gathered the girl into her
ar's. 9.t%s all right,cara ,% she
said, 'ore than once becase
Boe !as crying too lodly to
hear her. 9We%ll sort it ot.%
Trning her head, ('y cold
see that Lke had 'o#ed
closer, relctance and concern
!arring on his featres. This
girl !as clearly in troble.
6ossibly in=red. (s a doctor he
had a dty to help.
(s a 'an, he !anted nothing
'ore than to trn and get ot of
this hose.
-ehind Lke, ('y cold see
the frightened faces of se#eral
children.
9.t%s OK,% she told the'.
9*othing for yo gys to !orry
abot.%
They contined staring.
9Kyra? .t%s ti'e /hantelle !as
in bed and cold yo 'ake sre
the t!ins and 0''er are OK?
5i#e the boys a kiss for 'e.
They%re probably asleep by
no!.%
9-t !hat%s !rong !ith Boe?%
('y felt the girl shdder in her
ar's and a nose scraped
painflly on her collar<bone as
Boe bried her face. *o dobt
this teenager !as e'barrassed
to be seen like this by the
yonger children.
90he%s pset,% ('y told the'.
9-t she%s OK. "on%t !orry, .%'
going to sort it ot. ;o can
help by getting yorsel#es off
to bed.%
9-tA%
9/o'e on.% &obert ga#e ('y a
nod that said he cold deal !ith
this. 94pstairs, all of yo. "o
!hat ('y says.%
9Thanks, &ob.%
The boy pased in the
door!ay, ncertainty in his face
as he glanced back.
9We%re OK,% ('y assred hi'.
9+r ,arrington%s still here.%

Oh, 5od. ,e!as still here. Was
he e#er going to be able to
escape?
*ot i''ediately, that !as for
sre. ,e cold hardly !alk ot
!hen this strange<looking girl
!as ob#iosly in so'e sort of
troble !ith a soon<to<be
stepfather. (nd !hat abot that
ripped =acket? ,o! hea#y
handed !as this -ernie
character? Was it possible the
confrontation had beco'e
physical? (nd !ho the hell !as
+onty? The girl%s boyfriend?
-rother?
0he !as =st a kid. ( !eird<
looking kid dressed co'pletely
in black, !ith =et<black hair that
sported an electric pink streak
and enogh piercings to send a
'etal detector into o#erload. .n
the brief gli'pse he%d already
had, Lke had seen a ring
throgh her lo!er lip,
so'ething in her nose and
eyebro!s and the ear that !as
crrently #isible had orna'ents
arond its entire peri'eter.
3#en throgh the trags in the
centre.
0he !as 'aybe sixteen years
old? ;ong enogh to be
ad'itted to a paediatric !ard in
any case. ;ong enogh to
need protection. To deser#e
safety and assistance. .f there
!as an angry 'an in#ol#ed, he
cold hardly lea#e ('y and a
bnch of #lnerable children to
defend the'sel#es, cold he?
(s fiercely as ('y had =st
de'onstrated she !as
prepared to defend the people
she cared abot, she !as =st a
slip of a !o'an herself.
"elicate2physically, any!ay.
There !as certainly nothing
delicate abot this !o'an%s
spirit.
The #ery thoght of her ha#ing
to defend herself physically
!as abhorrent. 0o 'ch so that
Lke had to take a deep breath
to steady hi'self. ,e needed
so'ething else to focs on.
0o'ething real that coldn%t
stir i'aginary and therefore
seless e'otional reactions.
9/an yo get Boe to sit do!n?%
he sggested. 9We need to find
ot if she%s been hrt.%
9.%' nothrt !% The girl plled
back fro' ('y%s e'brace.
9-ernie !oldn%t hrt'e .% Lke
cold see eyes that see'ed
disconcertingly pale thanks to
thick black 'ake<p that hadn%t
entirely rn do!n the pale face.
9(nd .%#e hidden +onty so he
can%t do anything to hi', either.
Who%re yo?%
9This is +r ,arrington, Boe,%
('y said. 9,e%s a srgeon at
Li))ie%s !here . !ork.%
9What%s he doing here?% Boe%s
ga)e flicked back to ('y. 9.s he
yorboyfriend no!?%
9*o!%
"id she ha#e to sond 1ite
that horrified? (s thogh she
!oldn%t consider dating hi' if
he !ere the last 'an on earth?
(nd !hy had ('y%s face
flshed so pink? ,er eyes !ere
so dark co'pared to the pale
ble of Boe%s. Lke stared back
at the t!o fe'ale faces. "ark
eyes !ereso 'ch 'ore
attracti#e, he fond hi'self
thinking and in that sa'e
'o'ent he !as horrified at
hi'self.
*ot becase he considered
('y%s eyes attracti#e bt
becase so'ething so shallo!
Asoe'otional Ahad actally
distracted hi' so he !asn%t
thinking of anything else. :st
the kind of 'ental beha#ior he
had con1ered long ago.
What the hell !as going on
here?
9.%ll explain later,% ('y told Boe.
9(re yo sre yo%re not hrt?
;or =acket%s all ripped2% 0he
toched Boe%s cheek and Lke
cold s!ear he felt that toch
hi'self.
0o gentle. 0o fll of genine
concern. .t tgged at so'ething
deep !ithin Lke. 0o'ething
distrbingly poignant.
9. ripped the =acket on so'e
!ire in the shed. That%s !here .
hid +onty.%
9.t%s too cold to lea#e hi' in
there. ;o%ll need to bring hi'
inside.%
9,e can co'e here?% Boe%s face
brightened. 9;o don%t 'ind?%
9Of corse not. We lo#e +onty.
We%ll2adopt hi'.%
9What if +' says yo can%t?%
9"o yo think she !old?%
9*ah. 0he%d be glad to get rid of
hi'.% Boe scrbbed at her nose
and Lke !inced at the thoght
of the 'etal spike in her nostril
getting in the !ay. 90he !asn%t
that happy !hen . sa#ed hi'
fro' getting beaten p by those
boys.%
9,e%s got a ho'e here,% ('y
said fir'ly. 9(nd yo can #isit
!hene#er yo !ant to. ,o!
'ch can it cost to feed one
dog, after all?% With another
s1ee)e of Boe%s sholders and
a discreet bt anxios glance at
her !atch, ('y 'o#ed to the
sto#e to pick p a kettle. 9,ot
chocolate co'ing p,% she said
cheerflly.
9.%ll =st go and get +onty,% Boe
said. 9(nd his blankets and
stff. .s that cool? .%ll only be a
fe! 'intes.%
90re. -t be as 1ick as yo
can. . can%t be late for !ork.%
The cold<!ater tap o#er the old
porcelain sink !as trned on
and a ghastly, shddering noise
filled the kitchen.
95ood grief,% Lke said. 9What
isthat ?%
9:st air in the pipes,% ('y said
offhandedly. 9.t%ll co'e right in a
tick.% 0re enogh, the !ater
spat and dribbled and then
began to flo! and the dreadfl
noise abated.
Lke opened his 'oth and
then sht it again. This !as
hardly the ti'e to score frther
points abot ho! inade1ate
this hosing !as. *ot !hen
('y had =st collected another
inhabitant. 0o'eho! it didn%t
srprise hi' that she !old be
prepared to la#ish e'otional
energy on ani'als, as !ell as
people. 0he !as half<.talian,
after all. 6lenty of e'otional
energy to go arond.
( hea#y, nfa'iliar feeling !as
gathering o#er Lke like dark
clods. ,e had kno!n it !old
be a 'istake to set foot in this
hose.
('y see'ed to be thinking
hard, bt Lke cold read
nothing in her expression !hen
she glanced in his direction.
0he ga#e a slight nod =st as
the first tendril of stea'
escaped the spot of the kettle.
Then she looked at her !atch
#ery deliberately.
9. absoltely ha#e to go to
!ork,% she said sddenly. 9.%ll let
+argaret kno! !hat%s
happening. 0he 'ight be able
to get a pool nrse in to co#er
and then .%d be able to co'e
ho'e.% ('y !as speaking #ery
fast, the !ords t'bling o#er
each other. 9.%#e got 'y 'obile.
/old yo please tell Boe to
text 'e if she needs 'e?%
9;o can%t lea#e!% Lke 'ade
the state'ent an order.
9. ha#e to. . can%t afford to lose
'y =ob.%
This !as nacceptable. Lke
stared at ('y. 9;o%re going to
lea#e a hose fll of children?
4nattended?%
9.%' not lea#ing the'
nattended,% ('y said cal'ly.
9;o%re here.%
9.%' not staying.%
9Why not? .t%syor hose. (nd
it%s not for long. Boe !ill be
back in =st a fe! 'intes.% 0he
sonded extraordinarily cal'. 9.
don%t really see that yo%#e got
a choice, +r ,arrington. 0orry.%
0he didn%tlook sorry. There
!as an expression criosly
like satisfaction as ('y
shrgged on a coat that hng
behind the kitchen door,
grabbed a bright red tote bag
that stood beside the htch
dresser and practically ran fro'
the hose.
.t all see'ed to happen !ithin
seconds. 0tnning! (nd no!
Lke kne! !hat that strange,
hea#y feeling !as.
"efeat. -y stepping into this
da'ned hose he had stepped
onto a battlefield and he had
=st lost the first skir'ish.
0o'ething akin to ad'iration
sneaked into the astonish'ent
at the !ay he had =st been
'aniplated.
('y 6hillips !as certainly a
force to be reckoned !ith.
There !as no point contining
to stare at an e'pty door!ay.
Lke trned as the kettle began
to !histle. ,e had to 'o#e to
take it off the range and he !as
still standing there, lost in
thoght, !hen the back door
opened again.
Boe entered, holding a piece of
rope. On the end of the rope
!as the biggest dog Lke had
e#er seen. Long, long legs and
tfty hair and big sad bro!n
eyes.
Lke stared. ,e coldn%t help
it. ,e kne! he probably had an
expression of extre'e distaste
on his face bt he coldn%t help
that, either. ,e had a flash of
sy'pathy for -ernie. This
ani'al!as too big and probably
did s'ell and !old, 'ost
likely, cost a fortne to feed.
9"on%t !orry,% Boe told hi'
scathingly. 9,e probably
doesn%t like yo, either.% 0he
!rinkled her nose. 9. kno! !ho
yo are,% she infor'ed hi'.
9(nd .really don%t like yo.%
9Oh?% "espite hi'self, Lke
!as crios. 9Why is that?%
9;o 'ade ('y cry.%
/,(6T3& $O4&
T,3rote that ct throgh a
corner of &egent%s 6ark,
crossed the bsy 'ain roads
and then tracked past the
a'blance entrance to Li))ie%s
e'ergency depart'ent had
ne#er been co'pleted so fast.
('y felt as if she !as rnning
for her life and her heart !as
still ponding so hard she had
to slo! do!n on the stairs p to
the floor that hosed the
cardiology !ard.
What had she done?
.t had see'ed like the perfect
soltion at the ti'e. Of corse
the children coldn%t be left
!ithot a responsible adlt in
attendance. *ot !hen the
babysitter !as hardly 'ore
than a child herself and !as
crrently distracted by her o!n
proble's.
('y had taken a hge risk. 0he
!as banking on Lke
,arrington%s sense of dty
being stronger than his desire
to escape. 0he !as also
banking on nothing 'ore than
intition, in the hope that she
hadn%t been !rong in sensing
that he not only nderstood bt
!as trst!orthy.
0he !as forcing hi' to spend
=st a little 'ore ti'e in her
hosehold. +aybe enogh ti'e
for hi' to think abot !hat he
intended to do and reflect on
the effect it cold ha#e on the
children he !asAte'porarilyA
responsible for.
-t !hat if she !as !rong?
What if he contacted 0ocial
0er#ices or the police and
reported a hose fll of
abandoned children? ( hose
that had sstained a s'all fire
already that e#ening? ('y
'ight arri#e ho'e to find they%d
all been lifted fro' their beds
and taken to places !here they
!old be nder 'ore
appropriate sper#ision.
0he !as good at texting as she
'o#ed. 0he fished her
cellphone fro' the depths of
her red bag.
9Boe? 4 ok?%
9(l gd,% ca'e the response.
9Talkin to 5@.%
5@? Oh,5od! ('y stopped on
the landing bet!een the first
and second floors. 0he 'eant
95 s1ared%. Lke%s nickna'e at
Li))ie%s. .t stood for 95r'py
5ts%. .t hadn%t occrred to ('y
that the teenager !old
re'e'ber that, bt there !as
nothing she cold do abot it
no!.
With a groan, ('y pshed p
the last flight of stairs. 0he
cold only hope that Boe
!oldn%t re#eal her indiscretion
to the head of Li))ie%s
cardiothoracic srgical nit.

9"o yo kno! !hat they call
yo?% the girl said to Lke. 95
s1ared. .t stands for 5r'py
5ts.%
9. beg yor pardon?%
95r'py 5ts,% Boe repeated
!ith relish. 9*obody likes yo.
*ot e#en +onty, and he likes
e#erybody.%
0re enogh, the
extraordinarily tall dog, !ho
!as no! sitting on a patched
old blanket, !as gi#ing Lke a
steady glare that cold only be
described as 'enacing. .f it
started gro!ling, Lke !as ot
of there.
Boe !as !atching hi' =st as
intently. "isconcertingly, only
one eye !as #isible de to her
strange, asy''etric fringe.
9Why don%t yo =st go ho'e?%
she de'anded.
Lke !asn%t sed to social
interaction !ith teenagers and
he had ne#er been this close to
one !ho looked 1ite like this.
Was she a 'e'ber of so'e
clt? The absrdly i''atre
response of 9Thisis 'y ho'e%
occrred to Lke and he
actally felt the corner of his
'oth t!itch. .nstead, he
shrgged off his coat, hng it
o#er the back of a chair and sat
do!n at the kitchen table.
9.%' not going any!here,% he
said cal'ly. 9. !oldn%t drea'
of lea#ing a hosefl of
children !ith no ade1ate
sper#ision.%
9Whaddya 'ean by that?%
9;o%re no older than the
children yo%re spposed to be
looking after.%
9. a' so! .%'sixteen !% The
single eye narro!ed. 9(re yo
saying .%' stpid or
so'ething?%
-ehind the aggressi#e
response, Lke sa! the fear
that Boe belie#ed that 'ight be
tre. ,ad so'ebody sggested
it already or !as this =st the
nor'al kind of lo! self<estee'
teenagers cold strggle !ith?
9*ot at all.% Lke held her ga)e.
9;o%#e de'onstrated yo can
cope #ery !ell. There%s not
'any people that !old resce
a !olf. T!ice!%
Boe !as silent for a 'o'ent
and then her 'oth t!isted into
a grin that lit p her face. The
delight !as rapidly stifled,
ho!e#er.
9. still don%t like yo.%
Lke nodded. 9-ecase . 'ade
('y cry.%
9;eah.%
,e fro!ned. 9. don%t
re'e'berseeing her cry.%
9%/orse yo didn%t. 0he did it
in the loo. 0he told 'e abot it
%cos . !as crying abot
so'ething this chick at school
said. ('y said it !as good to
cry bt then yo had to sck it
p and get on !ith yor life.
;o coldn%t let 'ean things
people said pll yo do!n.%
9+ean things?% Lke !as
racking his 'e'ory. 9. don%t say
'ean things to people.%
9;o did. ;o told ('y she !as
stpid.%
9*o.% The head shake !as
decisi#e. 9. !old ne#er say
that.%
9;o did!% Boe insisted. 9.t !as
in the 'iddle of the night and
this baby got real sick and it
had to ha#e a tbe thing stck
into it and ('y !as trying to
help yo and the baby !as
screa'ing and she tried to gi#e
it a cddle and she toched the
stpid tbe and yo yelled at
her and told her she !as
stpid.%
Lke closed his eyes for a
second. ,e re'e'bered. (bot
FDEE a.'. last Thrsday. ,e%d
still been in the bilding de to
e'ergency srgery on a child
!ith 'a=or chest tra'a fro' a
car accident. (n inpatient in the
!ard had rn into troble and
needed a central line inserted. .t
had been a difficlt enogh
procedre e#en getting local
anaesthetic in place and then
his nrsing assistant had
inad#ertently brshed the
sterile catheter !ith the slee#e
of her go!n.
9. didn%t say she !as stpid,% he
said slo!ly. 9. think . said she
!as inco'petent. That it had
been a #ery cl'sy thing to do.%
Boe didn%t ans!er. 0he !as
bsy texting on her bright pink
phone. Lke thoght abot the
incident so'e 'ore.
.t had been a cl'sy error and
he%d been tired and concerned
abot the child he%d only =st
left in .ntensi#e /are. (nd the
nrse assisting hi' had been
go!ned and 'asked and
glo#ed and2and he hadn%t
considered her feelings at all,
had he?
The slip hadn%t been a
catastrophe. The trolley al!ays
had plenty of spare catheters
and she had pro#ed herself
perfectly co'petent as she had
silently contined to assist !ith
the procedre. The kno!ledge
that she had taken herself off
after!ards to deal !ith the
effects of his criticis' ca'e as
so'ething of a shock.
(nd 95r'py 5ts%?
;es, he a#oided social
interaction !ith his colleages.
(nd, yes, he expected others to
try and 'eet the professional
standards he set for hi'self,
bt he !as al!ays polite and
fair and he ga#e praise
!hene#er it !as deser#ed.
,e had 'ade ('y cry.
('yA!ho !as bra#e enogh
to fight for her fa'ily. To
co'fort and protect anyone
!ho !as in troble. 3#en a dog.
0trong enogh to go and do
!hat she had to do e#en thogh
she 'st ha#e kno!n it !as a
risk.
,ad it not occrred to her that
he cold =st call in so'e
appropriate athority and ha#e
this hosehold disbanded in
one easy stroke?
Lke cold still see the plea in
those dark eyes !hen she had
asked hi' not to re#eal his real
reason for being in the hose.
,e re'e'bered the s'ile and
the !ay it had 'ade hi' feel,
and then he nderstood.
('y !as trsting hi'.
0he 'ay not like hi' any 'ore
than Boe did bt, for !hate#er
reason, she had handed o#er
the responsibility of so'ething
she cared abot passionately. .f
he broke that trst, he cold
garantee she !old hate hi'
for e#er.
Lke didn%t like that idea at all.
(nd it !as only for an hor or
t!o, !asn%t it?

The !ard !as, 'erciflly, 1iet.
+argaret !as de to go ho'e
bt she hadn%t left yet. 0he !as
sitting in her office, gaping at
('y.
9Lke ,arrington? .n yor
hose?-abysitting ?%
9,ishose, apparently, and he
!ants to kick s all ot onto the
streets. &ight before /hrist'as.
/an yo belie#e it?%
9*o.% +argaret shook her head
for e'phasis. 9Why !old he
!ant to do so'ething like that?%
9-ecase he%s not a #ery nice
'an.%
9,e%s a lonely 'an,% +argaret
said 1ietly. ,er glance at ('y
!as a !arning. 9*ot that .%' one
to gossip.%
9. kno! that.% ('y s'iled at the
senior nrse. 9(nd .%' sorry to
d'p on yo, bt .%#e got no
one to trn to right no! and .%'
scared, yo kno!? . can%t let
anything happen !hile +a''a
and &osa are a!ay. These
children are +a''a%s life.
They%re part of or fa'ily.%
9. kno!.% +argaret leaned
for!ard to pat ('y%s hand.
9(nd . can help. Let%s hope
6ersonnel can co'e p !ith
so'e co#er for yo tonight. .f
not, .%ll stay on 'yself.%
9;o can%t do that. ;o%d be
!ay o#er yor hors.%
9"id yo really lea#e Lke
babysitting?%
9Kind of. .%' hoping he%ll get a
feel for the place and then
realise ho! sad it !old be to
break p the fa'ily.%
+argaret%s fro!n looked
p))led. 9. !old ha#e thoght
that !old be the last thing
Lke, of all people, !old !ant
to do.%
9Why do yo say that?% (nd
!hy had she described Lke
,arrington as 9lonely%? The
!ord !as echoing in ('y%s
head.
Lonely people needed
co'forting.
They needed lo#e.
9.f . tell yo so'ething, !ill yo
pro'ise it !on%t go any
frther?%
('y nodded and +argaret
lo!ered her #oice. 9. gre! p in
,arrington 7illage,% she said.
9Oh<h<h!% ('y cold feel her
eyes !idening. 9Where the
'anor hose is? (nd +r
,arrington%s incredibly rich
fa'ily?%
9;o kno! abot that?%
9. kind of gessed. .t%s !hy he%s
inherited the hose. 4ncle
7anni%s !ife !as a ,arrington.
0he died in a horrible car
accident.%
9. heard that both Lke%s
parents !ere killed in a car
crash.%
9.t%s ob#iosly !hat they
!anted people to think. +aybe
4ncle 7anni !asn%t considered
good enogh to be part of the
,arrington clan.%
That !as a possible
explanation, !asn%t it? That
4ncle 7anni had said his son
!as dead becase he%d been
too 'ortified to confess he%d
been dee'ed nacceptable?
+argaret !as fro!ning. 9. don%t
kno! abot that. What . do
kno! is that 'y son !ent to
school !ith Lke. ,e !ent to
#isit the 'anor hose a fe!
ti'es. ,e said it !as really
scary.%
95hosts?% ('y !as enthralled.
0he cold pictre a #ast, old
gloo'y hose !ith pictres of
Lke%s ancestors glo!ering
do!n fro' !ithin ornate gilt
fra'es. ( hose that !as
hndreds of years older than
the one she li#ed in and one
that cold ha#e been the scene
of feds and scandals and
possibly e#en 'rders2.
-t +argaret !as shaking her
head. 9Lke%s grand'other.%
('y blinked. OK, her nonna
cold be fierce and she had
been kno!n to poke an errant
child !ith a knobbly finger or
e#en her !alking stick, bt she
!asfa'ily . $a'ily sholdn%t be
scary.
90he%s a !onderfl !o'an,%
+argaret contined. 90he 'st
be nearly ninety no! bt she%s
the gardian of =st abot e#ery
charitable trst in the district. .
didn%t exactly 'o#e in the sa'e
circles bt . often sa! her and
she%s the lti'atelady , yo
kno! !hat . 'ean?%
('y thoght of Lke. The !ay
he chose his !ords and spoke
so clearly. The !ay he dressed
and his reptation as a srgeon
!ith nparalleled skill and
attention to detail.
+argaret lo!ered her #oice to a
!hisper and there !as a
definite t!inkle in her eyes. 9.
!oldn%t be the least bit
srprised if Lady ,arrington
still !ore corsets!%
('y nodded slo!ly bt her
s'ile !as distracted. 0he !as
beginning to nderstand. Lke
had been broght p in an alien
!orld and taght that
e#erything had to be perfect.
Lady ,arrington !oldn%t ha#e
considered there !as space in
that !orld for a foreigner.
3specially an .talian !ith that
reptation of #olatility and
exberance the nationality
carried.
Was it possible that Lke had
been broght p to belie#e his
father !as dead? .f that !as the
case, it !old explain !hy no
contact had e#er been 'ade. .t
!old also 'ean that Lke
!old ha#e been shocked to
learn of his inheritance. Gite
apart fro' a =stified anger at a
parent !ho had apparently
chosen not to raise hi', he !as
being left a d!elling in a state
that !as far fro' the perfection
he%d been raised to expect.
*o !onder his first reaction
had been to consider
de'olishing it.
,e%d ne#er had a real fa'ily so
he had no 'eans to nderstand
that it !as !hat !as !ithin the
!alls of a d!elling that really
'attered.
+aybe Lke !as the one !ho
!as !earing a corset. (n
e'otional one.
('y got to her feet. 9.%' going
to check on e#erybody on 'y
list,% she annonced. 9-y the
ti'e .%#e done that, hopeflly
there%ll be a pool nrse here
and . can go ho'e.%
0he !anted to get ho'e as
soon as possible.
0he kne! ho! to fix this. There
!as a shining light at the end of
!hat had been shaping p to be
a #ery dark tnnel. The
shado!y shape still blocking
that light !as 'an<shaped bt
('y !asn%t the least bit
deterred.
0he cold fix Lke ,arrington,
too, if he let her!

(n hor had ticked past and
Lke realised he%d 'issed his
dinner, bt he !asn%t the least
bit hngry.
,e%d been sitting at the kitchen
table since Boe had
disappeared to chi##y the older
children to bed and to read a
bedti'e story to /hantelle. The
big hose !as 1iet and,
ncharacteristically, Lke
allo!ed hi'self to contine
sitting in his so'e!hat da)ed
state. ,e hadn%t noticed that
+onty had slithered off his
blanket at so'e point and !as
no! nder the table. .t !asn%t
ntil he felt the !eight of a
large, black nose on the shiny
leather of his shoe that he !as
a!are of ho! close the giant
dog had beco'e.
,e didn%t !ant to antagonise
the creatre by shifting his
toes. One cho'p and that
leather 'ight not be enogh
protection. Boe shold be back
shortly and the dog !old be
nder control. ,opeflly.
.t !as only partly de to
+onty%s breath on his ankle that
Lke didn%t feel alone. ,e didn%t
really need to hear the odd,
'ted b'p or giggle fro'
o#erhead, either, to re'e'ber
ho! 'any occpants this
hose had. The feeling of their
presence !as e#ery!here.
Like a heartbeat.
0lo! and steady. "ifferent to
!hen ('y had been in the
hose. 0he had an air of
#ibrancy that increased the
beat. 5a#e it a fe! nexpected
ectopics, e#en.
Lke fond hi'self s'iling
nconsciosly at the nice,
cardiological analogy. ;es. The
plse of anything !old
increase and beco'e a little
erratic if ('y !as arond.
3specially !hen she !as
pro#oked. ,er fierce !ords still
rang in his ears.
O#er 'y dead body!
( ridiclos thing to say. O#er<
e'otional rbbish. 3xcept that,
at the ti'e, he%d had the
distrbing idea that she%d really
'eant it. 0he feltthat strongly
abot it.
,ad heA!oldheAe#er feel
that strongly abot anything?
-e prepared to lay his life on
the line? To !ant so'ething so
badly that life !old not be
!orth li#ing !ithot it?
Of corse not!
-t, crioslyAand for the first
ti'eALke cold feel en#ios
of so'eone !ho did feel that
!ay. 0o'eone !ho cold
experience the ephoria of
genine passion. The notion
!as 'erely a flash, ho!e#er.
3asily pshed aside !hen
recognised.
6assion denied rational
thoght. .t in#ol#ed lo!s, as
!ell as highs. +isery that
conterbalanced any
happiness. (n ncontrollable
roller<coaster that Lke !old
ne#er step onto becase he
!as rational. ,e had to be. ,is
career de'anded it.
Why hadn%t he sed his
rational intelligence and !alked
a!ay fro' ('y%s passionate
otbrst? ,e had certainly
intended to. ,e kne! there !as
no point talking to so'eone in
that state and the only !ay
for!ard !as to create space
ntil they cal'ed do!n.
0he%d 'anaged to get nder
his skin, thogh, hadn%t she?
6rodded so'e !eak spot he
hadn%t kno!n existed and he%d
been scked into responding.
Worse, he%d lost it to the extent
of re#ealing that he !as
planning to de'olish this hose
ot of spite and he didn%t e#en
intend to keep the proceeds.
Boe !old tell hi' it !as a
'ean thing to do.
(nd, da''it! 0he !old be
right.
.t !oldn%t hrt to lea#e it for a
fe! days, !old it? 4ntil after
/hrist'as.
$or ('y%s sake.

Boe e#entally ca'e back to
the kitchen.
9+onty! 5et back on yor rg!%
Boe ga#e Lke a scathing
glance as the dog !riggled
back!ards. 9;o still here?%
9(pparently.%
9&obert said yo !ere shoting
at ('y before . got here.%
9. ne#er shot. .f anyone !as
raising their #oice, that !old
ha#e been ('y.% Lke fro!ned.
,o! 'ch had the other
children o#erheard?
9&obert says yo%re gonna pll
or hose do!n.%
9;orhose?%
Boe flshed. 9Well, +onty li#es
here no! and he%s 'y dog.% ,er
#oice rose defiantly. 9;o kno!
!hat one of 'y ''%s
boyfriends said to s once?%
94'2*o.%
9,e had so'e stff of +'%s he
!anted to keep. Like /"s.,e
said possession is nine tenths
of the la!.%
Lke sighed. 9The legal syste'
doesn%t see it 1ite like that, .%'
afraid.%
Boe snorted. 9. don%t care. .t
!orked for Wayne. ,e got to
keep +'%s stff. .t%ll !ork for
s, too.% ,er eye !as an angry
slit. 9;o can sod off no!. (nd
!hen yo%re gone, !e%ll keep
yo ot. ;o%ll see.%
The confidence !as
i'pressi#e. Gite endearing,
really, bt 'isplaced. Boe
needed to learn to think things
throgh.
9+aybe . !on%t go any!here,%
Lke sggested. 9. cold =st
'o#e in and then .%d ha#e the
nine tenths of the la!. Ten
tenths, if yo consider that .%'
legally the o!ner.%
9;o can%t do that!% Boe
gasped.
Lke raised an eyebro!. 9.t
doesn%t see' a proble' ha#ing
extra people 'o#ing in arond
here, so !hy not? 4ncle 7anni%s
roo' is e'pty.%
Boe actally belie#ed hi'.
,o! cra)y !as that? Lke had
the !eird notion that he%d fallen
do!n a rabbit hole and landed
in a parallel ni#erse. That he
cold e#en pretend to be
thinking of doing so'ething
that !old gi#e his
grand'other case to diso!n
hi' !as2Well, it !as
nthinkable.
Or it had been. 4ntil no!.
What !as e#en !orse !as that
there !as so'ething #agely
appealing abot the absrd
notion.
Boe looked ready to cry again.
Lke !as abot to reassre her
!hen a s'all, py=a'a<clad
figre appeared in the door!ay.
9/hantelle?% Boe 'o#ed
to!ards the yonger girl.
9What%s p, s!eetie? . thoght
yo !ere asleep.%
9. !as.% /hantelle rbbed her
eyes. 90''er !oke 'e p.
0he%s 'aking a fnny noise.%
Lke%s chair crashed o#er
back!ards de to the speed
!ith !hich he got to his feet.
+onty also rose and gro!led
'enacingly, bt Lke ignored
both e#ents.
90ho! 'e,% he de'anded.
9Which is 0''er%s roo'?%

The 9fnny noise% 0''er !as
'aking !as a distressed
!hi'per on e#ery ot!ard
breath. ( tired sond, as thogh
the effort !as =st too great.
0tepping into the roo', Lke
!as instantly a!are that it had
the feel and e#en the s'ell of
('y. .t !as 'essy, !ith the
clothes she had been !earing
stre!n o#er an n'ade bed,
bt he barely registered a
'e'ory of ho! those =eans had
clng to sli' hips and ho! soft
the !oollen ='per had looked.
The colors in the roo' !ere
#ibrant, !ith bright crtains and
cshions. ( faintly exotic scent
that Lke coldn%t place, along
!ith the flickering light fro' a
lo!<brning fire, broght the
roo' to life.
.t !as an attracti#e, cosy space
bt e#en !ith the glo!ing coals
the a'bient te'peratre !asn%t
enogh to accont for the
sheen of perspiration #isible on
0''er%s dark skin.
,e shook her sholder gently.
90''er? Wake p!%
The child didn%t stir. Lke
peeled the co#ers off the little
girl and felt for her plse. ,er
skin felt chilled and it took a
'o'ent to locate a plse at all.
When he did, Lke !asn%t
srprised to find it far too rapid
and #ery !eak. ,er heart !as
failing and her blood oxygen
le#els !ere already too lo! to
be co'patible !ith
consciosness.
9What%s !rong !ith her?% Boe
asked fro' behind hi'.
90he%s got a fe#er. 6robably an
infection of so'e kind.%
9Like a cold or so'ething?%
9;es.% .t had co'e on #ery fast
bt 0''er%s i''ne syste'
had already been co'pro'ised.
9.s she really sick?%
9;es.% ,e coldn%t be less than
honest !ith Boe. 9/old yo call
an a'blance, please? Tell
the' .%' here and . said it !as
rgent.%
Boe hesitated in the door!ay.
90he%s not2going todie , is
she?%
The tone !as angished.
0o'ething +argaret had said
flashed into Lke%s 'ind.
0o'ething abot the children
that ended p in the 6hillips
hosehold being lcky.
*o one else had !anted to care
for this dying child bt here she
!as clearly #ery 'ch lo#ed.
Lke%s o!n heart ga#e an odd
s1ee)e.
9*ot if . can help it,% he told Boe
so'brely. 9-t !e need to
hrry.%
&obert took Boe%s place in the
roo' a second later. ,e stared
at 0''er and then at Lke
and his look !as accsatory. 9.
thoght yo !ere 0''er%s
doctor.%
9.%' one of the'.%
90o !hy can%t yo 'ake her
better, then?%
9.t%s not al!ays possible to fix
things, &obert.% ,e 'st kno!
that, srely? .f he !as here in a
foster<ho'e, life had been a lot
less than perfect so far for this
boy.
9Well, it shold be,% &obert
'ttered. 9.t%s not fair.%
,e trned and !alked a!ay
and Lke sighed. Of corse it
!asn%t fair. *either !as it fair
that he !as 'ade to feel so
gilty. ,e did his best and he
kne! he did it better than 'ost.
,e coldn%t afford to feel gilty.
( failre. (nd he !asn%t, he
kne! that.
Lke also kne! he !as going
to try harder than he e#er had
before for this particlar little
girl.
The benefit of the location
being so close to 0t 3li)abeth%s
'ade itself apparent in the
speed !ith !hich the
para'edics arri#ed.
9(re yo going to be all right,%
Lke asked Boe, 9if . go to the
hospital !ith 0''er?%
9.%ll look after her.% &obert had
appeared again as Lke carried
0''er to the !aiting
a'blance.
9Lock the doors,% Lke
re'inded the'. 9(nd call the
police if anything scary
happens.%
9We%ll call ('y,% Boe said. (s
thogh that !as all the back<p
they cold need.
9Text her no!,% Lke said in
parting. 9Let her kno! .%'
bringing 0''er in.%

('y arri#ed in the e'ergency
depart'ent of Li))ie%s !ithin
ten 'intes of the a'blance
bt already 0''er !as in the
resscitation area, hooked p
to e#ery 'onitor a#ailable and
!ith an .7 cannla taped into a
#ein on her ar'.
Lke !as there, bent o#er the
nconscios child, a
stethoscope in his ears.
9What%s happened?% ('y tried
to sond cal'.
90he%s in heart failre.% Lke
straightened and nodded at the
3" consltant. 9$ine crackles.
Widespread. -ilateral. . think
yo%re right. We%#e got an
infection that%s tipped her
instantly into failre.%
9This is serios, isn%t it?% ('y
'o#ed to the head of the bed,
reaching ot to toch
0''er%s forehead !ith a
gentle stroke. 0he looked p
and fond Lke !atching, his
eyes dark. .ntense.
0he cold read the ans!er to
her 1ery there, bt she had
already kno!n that. 0he cold
also read a le#el of sy'pathy
that ca'e as a srprise. (gain,
she had the i'pression that
Lke nderstood. +ore than he
realised, perhaps. +ore than he
!old !ant to ad'it to, any!ay.
.n response to his gestre, ('y
'o#ed to one side of the roo'.
9We%re starting a dopa'ine
infsion,% Lke told her, 9to
co'bat the heart failre. We%ll
ad=st her diretics and add in
spiranolactane. We%ll also ha#e
a think abot sing an (/3
inhibitor and beta blockade.
We%#e taken bloods, of corse,
to try and isolate the
precipitating infection, and
!e%#e already started her on
antibiotics.%
9. shold ring 'y 'other. What
ti'e is it in .taly?% ('y looked
at her !atch, bt then bit her
lip. 9+aybe . shold !ait till
'orning. .f . tell her no!, she%ll
insist on heading ho'e.
6ossibly !ith 'y grand'other
in to!. That%s not going to help
anyone, is it?%
9What abot consent?% Lke
1eried. 9We shold talk abot
ho! yo feel abot 'echanical
spport, like 3/+O or a
#entriclar assist de#ice.%
('y stared at the srgeon. ,e
!as talking abot extraordinary
'easres to keep 0''er
ali#e. 3/+O deli#ered oxygen
and re'o#ed carbon dioxide #ia
catheters placed directly in a
patient%s heart and arteries. The
#entriclar de#ice !as only a
little less in#asi#e, !ith a de#ice
placed inside the heart to assist
p'ping. There !ere big risks
associated !ith these therapies
and they !ere only te'porary.
( lot of srgeons !old arge
there !as little point in heroic
atte'pts to keep 0''er ali#e
if it only delayed the ine#itable.
Lke see'ed to be reading her
thoghts. 9.t 'ight by so'e
ti'e,% he said 1ietly. 9. can%t
pro'ise anything.%
-t he looked as if he%dlike to
pro'ise so'ething, and ('y
s'iled. ,e 'ight try to hide it
btAnderneath the ar'orA
there !as a 'an !ho really
cared. *ot so'eone !ho cold
thro! a bnch of children ot of
their ho'e.
9We shold talk,% she agreed.
9(s far as 'edical consent
goes, . signed p as a carer for
0''er along !ith 'y 'other.
. ha#e the athority to sign any
necessary consent for's.%
9What !old yo like 'e to
do?%
9Whate#er yo can.% ('y%s lip
tre'bled. 9. kno! it%s a lot to
ask, bt it !old be so special if
!e can ha#e 0''er !ith s
for /hrist'as.%
Lke ga#e a single nod, as
thogh he had expected the
response. ,e 'o#ed to talk to
the 3" staff.
9Let%s get 0''er p to the
./4.% ,e soght ('y%s ga)e as
preparations !ere 'ade. 9(re
yo co'ing?%
9;es, of corse.%
9We%ll talk later, then, !hen
!e%#e got her settled and
stable.%

( little o#er an hor later, ('y
sat beside 0''er%s bed in the
intensi#e care nit, holding her
s'all hand.
90he%s holding her o!n,% Lke
decided, looking p fro' a
printot of test reslts. 9,er
arterial blood gas le#els are as
good as !e cold expect. ,er
blood pressre%s p and her
heart rate and te'peratre are
do!n.% ,e fro!ned at ('y. 9;o
shold get so'e rest. . spoke to
the night sper#isor and yor
shift in the !ard is co#ered for
the rest of the night.%
9. need to stay !ith 0''er.%
90he%s going to sleep for hors
yet. (nd yo kno! ho! good
the staff are in here.%
('y did kno!. 0he also kne!
that 0''er !as so sed to
being in hospital that she
probably !oldn%t e#en be
frightened. -t !hat if
so'ething happened?
9*othing%s going to happen,%
Lke said. 9*ot in the next fe!
hors.%
,o! cold he read her 'ind
like that? ('y dragged her
startled ga)e fro' Lke%s face
back to 0''er%s. 0he looked
as thogh she !as sleeping
peaceflly no! and those
dreadfl noises of respiratory
distress had al'ost gone.
9;o 'ight be needed at ho'e,%
Lke added. ,e cleared his
throat !hen ('y didn%t respond
i''ediately. 9. got the
i'pression that so'e of the
other children !ere #ery
!orried abot 0''er.%
9They%ll be !orried sick,% ('y
agreed. 9. tried to text Boe bt
she%s not ans!ering. ,opeflly,
they%re all asleep, bt still2%
0he glanced at her !atch.
95ood grief, it%s nearly @DEE
a.'.!%
9(nd . need to collect 'y car.
.%ll !alk yo ho'e.%
*o!a #oice in ('y%s head cried
in alar'. ( !alk in the 'iddle of
the night, alone !ith Lke
,arrington? ,o! terrifying
!old that be?
The st'ble of her heart felt
like so'eone th'ping her
fro' the inside. Wake p! it
con#eyed. What better
opportnity cold yo ha#e to
talk to hi'?
To plead her case?
,e had helped 0''er, hadn%t
he? ,e !as prepared to go to
extraordinary lengths to keep
their little girl ali#e.
0rely, srely he cold be
persaded that 0''erAand
the other childrenAneeded
their ho'e =st as 'ch?
9OK,% ('y said bra#ely. 9.%ll
grab 'y stff fro' the !ard and
'eet yo otside 3" in fi#e
'intes.%
/,(6T3& $.73
9;O4look like a dragon.%
96ardon?% Was this going to be
another insight into !hat the
staff of Li))ie%s considered a
less than a'enable
personality? 9Oh2!% Lke
breathed ot again and noted
the !hite billo! of his breath in
the icy air.
('y looked ner#os. Was she
expecting fla'es, as !ell?
9Where%s yor coat?% ('y !as
!rapping her o!n arond her
body 'ore secrely.
9,anging o#er a chair in yor
kitchen.%
9-t yo can%t !alk ho'e
!ithot one! ;o%ll get
hypother'ia.%
9.t%s only a fe! 'intes. .%ll
sr#i#e.%
('y looked dobtfl. 9We
cold call a taxi.%
9/old be a long !ait. -esides,
. cold do !ith so'e fresh air
and !e need to talk.%
9+''.% ,e cold see the !ay
('y scked in a deeper breath.
9&ight. (bot the hose.% 0he
set off as thogh keen to get it
all o#er !ith.
Lke caght p !ithin a cople
of strides. 9;es. ('ongst other
things.%
9Other things?% ('y latched on
to a change of sb=ect eagerly.
90ch as?%
90''er.%
9Oh2% They trned to !alk
throgh the car park and Lke
cold see the top of ('y%s head
beside hi', her dark hair
hidden beneath a bright,
rainbo! !oollen beanie. 9.t%s
not looking good, is it?%
9*o, .%' afraid not.%
9(nd she !as !ell do!n the
transplant list last ti'e !e
heard.%
9.%ll call the co<ordinating
centre first thing to'orro!
'orning and see ho! she%s
placed at the 'o'ent.%
9Will yo?% ('y%s eyes shone
as she looked p at hi'. 9Oh,
thank yo!%
Lke !as getting that !eird
feeling again. Like he%d had
!hen he%d gone along !ith that
lie abot !hy he had co'e to
the hose and ('y had s'iled
at hi'. The feeling of being
po!erfl and generos e#en
!hen he !asn%t doing anything
!orthy of gratitde. .t !as less
!eird this ti'e, thogh.
6leasant, e#en.
9These lists can change
dra'atically. 0adly, a lot of
children die !hile they%re
!aiting.%
('y sighed, her breath 'aking
a hff of #apor, the sadness of
the sond chasing that pleasant
sensation a!ay. Lke !anted it
back. 0he needed co'fort of
so'e kind bt toching his
co'panion in any !ay !old
not be appropriate so Lke
sto'ped on the odd inclination
to pt an ar' arond her
sholders.
9+aybe 0''er !ill be one of
the lcky ones.%
9. hope so.% They !aited at the
side of the 'ain road for a
black cab to pass. 9.t%s a!fl to
be !ishing tragedy on another
fa'ily, thogh.%
The taxi !as gaily decorated
!ith tinsel arond the inside of
its !indo!s. Laghing
passengers !ere !earing 0anta
hats.
93specially at /hrist'as,% ('y
added.
.t !as Lke%s trn to sigh. 9.t%s
=st another day in the year, yo
kno!. The hype is ot of all
proportion if yo ask 'e. . hate
the !ay it beco'es al'ost
i'possible to get things done.%
Like de'olishing a hose?
9(nd for !hat?% he added
hrriedly, to dro!n ot the
nin#ited #oice. 9( co''ercial
opportnity that%s co'pletely
ot of control.%
They !ere on (lbany 0treet
no!, al'ost into the park, bt
('y had slo!ed do!n. 7irtally
stopped. 0he looked horrified.
9-t2bt /hrist'as is'agic !%
9;o don%t really belie#e that,
do yo?%
0tpid 1estion. ,e cold see
she belie#ed it. ,er shining
eyes and parted lips !ere
ill'inated by a streetla'p. 0he
!as practicallyglo!ing !
(nd2beatifl.
('y 6hillips !as absoltely,
stnningly2beatifl.
9Of corse . do,% she said. 9.t%s
the only ti'e !e all get to
celebrate ho! i'portant !e are
to each other. Oh, . kno!
there%s birthdays and +other%s
"ay and e#erything bt
/hrist'as is for !hole fa'ilies.
$ore#erybody ! *eighbors and
nrses and taxi dri#ers and2
and e#en dogs.%
Lke !as trying to get past the
realisation of ho! stnning this
!o'an !as. ,o! cold he ha#e
ne#er noticed before? ,e 'st
ha#e heard her #oice !ith that
tiny catch of exotic
pronnciation e#en if he hadn%t
experienced the sggestion of
hskiness that ca'e !ith a
sb=ect she felt intense abot.
,e 'st ha#e seen that s'ileA
the !ay it crled p at the
edges and reached right into
her eyes. Thoseincredible eyes!
,ad he been co'pletely blind?
93specially for the children,%
('y contined. 9.t%s 'agic
becase they belie#e it%s 'agic.
The !orld is fll of secrets and
pretty decorations and special
food and they get so'ething to
look for!ard to. To drea'
abot.%
4nconsciosly, Lke !as
shaking his head. *ot all
children. *ot in the !ay ('y
!anted to belie#e. Trapped
deep inside hi'self !as the
echo of a for<year<old boy !ho
had begged $ather /hrist'as
for a real fa'ily. One !ith a
father and a 'other and2
please2a brother to play !ith.
9,o, ho, ho,% 0anta had
chortled. ,e%d patted the little
Lke on the back, fir'ly
enogh to encorage hi' to
slide off his knee, and then he%d
presented hi' !ith a lollipop.
( red one that !as ne#er eaten.
9. kno!2% ('y%s expression
had beco'e anxios as she
!atched Lke%s face. 0he
started !alking again and their
feet crnched on fro)en
pddles on the path. -are
branches 'ade an arch!ay that
dre! the' for!ard into the
night. 9-t it%s like anything in
life, isn%t it? ;o can choose
!hether yo focs on the good
stff or the bad stff.% 0he
s'iled !inningly p at Lke.
9What%s that saying? 0o'ething
like, Life sholdn%t be
'easred in ho! 'any breaths
yo take bt by the 'o'ents
that take yor breath a!ay?
Well, there%s lots of those
'o'ents at
/hrist'asti'e.That%s !hat
'akes it 'agic.%
There !as a plea in her face
no!. 0he !anted hi' to agree
!ith her. .t see'ed terribly
i'portant that he shold agree
bt Lke coldn%t find a thing to
say. ,e !as ha#ing troble
catching his breath. +aybe it
!as one of those 'o'ents she
!as talking abot bt it had
nothing to do !ith the ti'e of
the year and e#erything to do
!ith ('y 6hillips.
The path had the odd tree root
sneaking along its edge and,
becase ('y%s head !as still
tilted p!ards as she appealed
to Lke, she st'bled a little
!hen her foot caght. :st
enogh to 'ake it an ato'atic
action on Lke%s part to catch
her ar' and pre#ent her falling.
0he trned s!iftly and, =st as
natrally, he caght her other
ar' and there she !asA
standing so close he cold feel
her !ar'th. $eel the al'ost
desperate plea in her eyes.
0he !anted so'ething fro'
hi' bt Lke coldn%t, for the
life of hi', concentrate enogh
to re'e'ber !hat it !as.
,er closeness and the feel of
her in his hands !as
'es'erising. .n his experience,
!o'en !ho !ere in sch close
physical proxi'ity and had a
look on their faces e#en
re'otely like this !anted
so'ething he rarely had the
ti'e or inclination to besto!.
This ti'e, ho!e#er, he had no
hesitation at all. .t re1ired no
'ore thoght than stealing that
photograph had.
Lke bent his head and kissed
('y.

.t !as, absoltely, the last thing
('y had expected.
The con#ersation abot
/hrist'as had been the perfect
lead in to presenting her case
abot the hose bt instead it
had led to hi' intending to kiss
her!
,ere they !ere, on the
otskirts of a hge, deserted,
dark, fro)en park in the 'iddle
of the night and Lke
,arrington !as going to kiss
her!
Lke ,arrington!
0he shold rn. 6hysically and
e'otionally.
Life !as !ay too co'plicated
already.
('y !as poised to fleeAe#ery
cell in her body charged !ith
adrenalineAthe choice bet!een
fight or flight 'ade in the split
second she sa! the intention in
Lke%s eyes.
-t then the distance bet!een
the' closed and she cold feel
the !ar'th of his breath on the
chilled skin of her face. 0he
colds'ell hi'. ( 'ix of potent
'asclinity and sheer po!er.
0he tried to rn, at least
'entally, bt the instant Lke%s
lips toched hers, ('y tripped
and fell headlong.
.nto the kiss.
,is lips felt cold and her o!n
!ere 'ore than half<n'b bt
still this kiss felt like nothing
she had experienced before.
.t all happened so fast and ('y
still had the sensation that
she%d lost her balance and !as
falling, so she really had no
choice bt to reach ot for
so'ething to hold on to. The
solid chest in front of her !as
like a !all and her hands slid
p!ards, searching for an
anchor. Lke%s neck. 6erfect.
0o !as the !ay his ar's ca'e
arond her body so secrely.
0afely. /onterbalancing the
fir' pressre fro' his 'oth.
With the fear of falling re'o#ed,
('y cold relax =st that
fraction. ,er lips parted =st
that fraction, as !ell, and the
!ar'th of their breaths 'ingled
and then there !asheat .
0earing heat as Lke%s tonge
toched hers and ('y !as
falling all o#er again becase
the 'scles in her legs !ere
'elting fro' that heat.
/hrist'as decorations had
nothing on the s!irl of colors
and sensations corsing
throgh her entire body.
3#erything !as 'elting,
especially that core deep !ithin
her belly. The !idespread,
delicios tingle !as changing
shape, crling p at its edges
and trning in on itself to 'ake
a hard knot of desire.
This !asn%t si'ply a kiss.
.t !as an a!akening.

( 'ch less pleasant kind of
a!akening occrred !hen the
kiss finally ran its corse and
they both stepped apart.
Lke looked as stnned as
('y felt and the chill of the
night had increased
dra'atically. ,o! long had they
been standing, locked in each
other%s ar's?
With a final, faintly shocked
glance at each other, they
contined !alking. 0ilently.
Was Lke trying to absorb the
startling effect of that kiss, as
she !as? 0he coldn%t resist a
tiny glance p at his face. .f he
hadn%t belie#ed in 'agic before,
srely he !as at least gi#ing it
so'e head roo' right no!?
.t !as only a short distance
fro' the tree beneath !hich
they%d been kissing to the
hose on 0lli#an (#ene, bt
if Lke had been as na!are as
('y of his feet actally
toching the grond, he !as
gi#ing no sign of it. When he
e#entally spoke, it !as to
express disbelief certainly, bt
the tone sggested anything
bt pleasre.
94nbelie#able!%The !ord !as
otraged.
The tension in the tall body
beside ('y ga#e ot #ibrations
that she responded to
ato'atically. .t !as a rather
si'ilar sinking sensation to the
one she%d experienced the
other night, !hen she%d kno!n
she%d =st toched a sterile
ob=ect and broght a critical
'edical procedre to a
screa'ing halt.
9What%s !rongA?% ('y had to
stop herself adding his na'e. .t
felt like it !old be natral to
call hi' Lke, bt she coldn%t,
cold she? (nd she cold
hardly call hi' +r ,arrington
no!. *ot after he%d =st kissed
her so thoroghly!
('y !as follo!ing his line of
#ision e#en as the confsed
thoghts !ere ='bling in her
'ind. 0he cold see his car. (
gorgeos, lo!<slng, sporty
'odel in an nsal shade of
s'oky ble.
7ery lo! slng.
9Oh, no!% ('y breathed. -oth
the tyres she cold see !ere as
flat as pancakes.
T!o brisk strides took Lke to
the other side of his #ehicle.
9$or flat tyres! This is
deliberate #andalis',% he
prononced. ,is ga)e snapped
in t!o directions as he scanned
the rest of the street. 9(nd 'ine
see's to ha#e been the only
#ehicle targeted.% ,e glared at
('y. 9. !onder !hy?%
9.t does stand ot,% she
#entred. 9.t%s the only
con#ertible and the color is
nsal.%
Lke said nothing and ('y
s1ir'ed in!ardly. Oh, &obert,
she thoght in dis'ay. This
!asso not the !ay to express
antagonis'.
9Let%s go inside, shall !e?%
Lke sggested dryly. 9. need to
call a cab.%

,e shold ha#e been as 'ad
as hell abot !hat had been
done to his car.
/riosly, he actally
experienced a flash of
so'ething that felt like
gratitde for an excse to
follo! ('y back into that
hose.
To stay close to her for =st a
little longer.
Lke !as feeling slightly di))y
again. The !ay he had !hen
+argaret had told hi' the
hose !as fll of children and
.talian !o'en. (s thogh the
#ery fondations of his !orld
!ere being rocked.
(nd so they !ere.
.t 'ight ha#e started !hen he%d
recognised ho! attracti#e ('y
!as bt the &ichter scale had
increased exponentially !ith
that kiss.
Lke !as feeling things right
no! that he had absoltely no
experience !ith.
.ntense, dangeros things.
They led to a place he%d ne#er
#entred into becase he%d
learned long ago that, if yo
!ere self<disciplined enogh,
yo cold keep yorself safe
fro' that dangeros place.
0afe fro' nasty things.
-oarding school had ce'ented
that lesson. (nd he%d already
kno!n that things that !eretoo
nice !ere also to be a#oided.
The hedonistic pleasres that
!ere the stff of irrational
desires and beha#ior. The
benefits of a lifestyle that kept
yo safe fro' those places had
been breathed in !ith the #ery
air of his childhood.
/old he distract hi'self no!?
6ossibly.
"id he !ant to 'ake any effort
to do so?
*o. *ot =st yet, any!ay.
,o! cold he, afterthat kiss?
,e !as be!itched by a
co'bination of the bi)arre
e#ents that had nfolded since
he%d left !ork for the day. .t
!old !ear off. "aylight !old
dispel the feeling of nreality.
3#en electric light 'ight help.
('y plled off her !oolly hat
!hen they !ere inside the
kitchen again. Wisps of dark
hair escaped the plait and
crled arond her race, still
picking p the inade1ate light
fro' the single blb enogh to
glea'. Then she poked p the
inside of the range, adding
'ore fel, and the fire tinged
her face !ith a rosy glo!.
3xtra light !asn%t helping.
Lke%s fingers !ere co'ing
back to life no!, stinging and
brning at their tips. ,is lips
had a si'ilar tingling going on
bt he kne! that !asn%t fro'
the recent, sb)ero
en#iron'ent. They !ere
re'e'bering that extraordinary
kiss.
Wanting 'ore.
90it do!n,% ('y in#ited. 9;o
'st be totally fro)en. .%ll 'ake
so'e hot chocolate.% 0he pt
the kettle onto the sto#e and
then 'o#ed to pick p another
ob=ect as she !alked to!ards
Lke. 9,ere%s the phone. Why
don%t yo call for a taxi !hile .
=st check on the children?%
0he !as back !ithin a cople
of 'intes. 9They%re all sond
asleep,% she reported. 9Boe%s
crashed in 'y bed so .%ll se
4ncle 7anni%s roo' for the rest
of the night.% 0he bsied herself
'aking a hot drink, spooning
chocolate po!der into 'gs,
!rapping a cloth arond the
handle of the kettle before
poring the boiling !ater and
then opening a refrigerator to
extract a carton of 'ilk.
Ordinary 'o#e'ents bt Lke
fond hi'self !atching as
thogh she !as perfor'ing a
'agic sho!.
9Will the taxi be #ery long?% she
asked.
9. ha#en%t called the' yet.%
0he al'ost spilt the 'gs of
hot chocolate as she carried
the' to the table. 0he set the'
do!n careflly bt the !obble
in her #oice ga#e a!ay her
ner#os reaction.
9,o! co'e?%
9. !ant to talk to yo.%
('y sat do!n. 0he pt her
hands arond her 'g as
thogh she needed the co'fort
of its !ar'th. 0he hng her
head, pretending to inhale the
rich aro'a.
9The hose,% she said finally.
Lke coldn%t resist the
opportnity. 9('ongst other
things.%
0re enogh, her face lifted
and he got a clear #ie! of her
eyes. The connection he !as
looking for caght instantly
and, for a 'o'ent, Lke =st
!ent !ith itAtorn bet!een
a'a)e'ent and being appalled
at the po!er he cold sense.
(nother di'ension !as there.
:st !aiting for hi' to step into
it and to take that first step. (ll
he needed to do !as 'ake
physical contact. ,e cold
reach ot and co#er one of
('y%s hands !ith his. Or stand
p and pll her into his ar's.
$eel the2
9O<other things?% ('y%s #oice
had a strangled 1ality.
With enor'os difficlty, Lke
broke the pll of the eye
contact and stifled the first
response that ca'e to 'ind.
The desire to talk abot that
kiss. (bot !hether it had had
the sa'e kind of effect on her
as it had done on hi'. (bot
!hether she !old be
interested in2,ell, he coldn%t
gothere , cold he?
*ot !ith the obstacle of the
intentions !ith !hich he had
co'e to this hose. ,e needed
to grond hi'self. To re'e'ber
!hy his life had intersected
!ith ('y%s in the first place.
9Tell 'e abot yor 4ncle
7anni,% he co''anded.
That shold do it. ,e cold
listen to an accont of his
father%s life. ( happy life, no
dobt, that had ne#er inclded
his o!n son. .n#olntarily,
Lke%s ga)e slid side!aysAto
!here the flap of his coat hng
arond the back of the chair. To
the pocket hiding that stolen
article.
96oor 4ncle 7anni,% ('y said
softly. 9,e ne#er reco#ered fro'
losing the lo#e of his life.-oth
of the', in fact.% ,er ga)e !as
accsing.
Lke cold feel the hairs
prickling on his neck againA
the !ay they had !hen he%d
seen that photograph. ,e !as
staring at a can of !or's here
and ('y had her hand on the
lid, so to speak. "id he really
!ant her to open it?
9What do yo 'ean?% he asked,
his #oice harsh. 9Wo'en?%
('y shook her head. 9There
!as only e#er one !o'an for
4ncle 7anni. The other lo#e of
his life !as his son. ;o.%
Lke coldn%t 'eet her ga)e.
,e didn%t belie#e it. ,e coldn%t
afford to. .t !as doing 'ore
than rocking the fondations of
his !orld. This had the potential
to rip deep, dangeros
cre#asses in those fondations.
9Tell 'e,% he co''anded
grffly. 9The story as yo heard
it.%
9OK.% ('y took a deep breath.
94ncle 7anni fell 'adly in lo#e
!ith /aroline. ,e !as !orking
in a #ineyard at the ti'e, in
northern .taly, and /aroline had
been sent to this posh finishing
school nearby. 0he !as only
eighteen and she had to go
ho'e bt then she disco#ered
she !as pregnant and all hell
broke loose.%
Lke fond hi'self nodding
slo!ly. ,e cold i'agine ho!
that ne!s !old ha#e gone
do!n. ,is grand'other !old
ha#e considered her daghter%s
life rined.
9/aroline ran a!ay,% ('y
contined. 9-ack to .taly. 0he
'arried 4ncle 7anni and they
had a gorgeos baby and they
!ere blissflly happy, e#en
thogh they didn%t ha#e 'ch
'oney.%
They had certainly looked
blissflly happy in that
photograph.
90o !hat happened?%
9There !as a dreadfl accident.
Their car !as really old and the
brakes failed on a 'ontain
road. They !ere all badly
in=red. /aroline died =st a fe!
hors later and 4ncle 7anni
!as e#acated to a big hospital
in +ilan. ,e !as in .ntensi#e
/are for !eeks and in the
hospital for nearly six 'onths.
.t !as t!o years before he
cold !ork again and he had
troble !ith his back and feet
for the rest of his life. Li#ed in
slippers did 4ncle 7anni.%
Lke pshed the i'age of
those co'fortable slippers fro'
his 'ind. Then he cleared his
throat.
9(nd2and the baby?%
9/aroline had her passport
becase they had been
planning to cross the border at
so'e point. They%d been
'arried for three years or so by
then bt !ere going on their
first real holiday. (ny!ay, the
hospital and the police tracked
do!n her fa'ily and her 'other
apparently arri#ed the next day.
0he arranged a 'edical escort
and took both the baby and
/aroline%s body back to
3ngland.%
9(nd then?% Lke had to clench
his fists to stop hi'self
toching that scar beside his
left eyebro!.
9.t !as 'onths before 4ncle
7anni !as fit to tra#el bt as
soon as he cold, he ca'e to
3ngland to try and find his son.%
('y raised her eyes to Lke%s
and he cold see the 'oistre
shining in the'. /old hear the
catch in her #oice that see'ed
to be attached by an in#isible
sting to his o!n heart. .t
tgged.
9"o yo kno!, e#en 'ore than
thirty years later, 4ncle 7anni
coldn%t talk abot any of this
!ithot breaking do!n? ,e !as
in a really bad !ay !hen he got
to this contry. -roken in body
and spirit. .t took hge corage
to go to /aroline%s ho'e and
face her 'other and !hen he
did, he !as told that his son%s
in=ries had been too se#ere.
"espite the best 'edical care
the ,arringtons cold access,
that little boy had died a !eek
or so after they broght hi'
back.%
Lke%s 'oth opened. ,e
snapped it sht again. What
cold he say? ('y !as clearly
telling the trth as she kne! it.
What good !old it do to tell
her that his grand'other #aled
honesty abo#e e#erything?
9,e ne#er !ent back to .taly.
$or a fe! years he =st existed
in London. ,e had a =ob as a
school caretaker and he li#ed in
a bedsit in so'e horrible high<
rise. +y 'other fond hi'
!hen !e ca'e to li#e in London
and he gradally beca'e part
of or fa'ily.% ('y took a deep
breath and then ga#e her head
a tiny shake. 9(ny!ay2+y dad
!as a police'an and there !as
a =ob one night !hen these kids
had to be taken into care. There
!as a big 'ix<p and "ad
ended p bringing the' ho'e
for the night. The yongest !as
a boy !ho !as abot three
years old and he ho'ed in on
4ncle 7anni and cli'bed p on
his knee. Looking back, .
sspect that !as the trning
point bt nfortnately things
got !orse before they got
better.%
9,o! so?%
9+y dad got killed on dty.
0hot. . !as nine. +' !as
going to pack s all p and
'o#e back to .taly, bt she%s
ne#er been #ery good at 'aking
decisions and then acting on
the'. 0he had to rely on 4ncle
7anni and he finally started to
co'e ot of the depression
he%d been strggling !ith for so
long. (nd then he got the great
idea.%
9Which !as?%
('y stopped and took a sip of
her drink and then contined.
9,e decided that if his o!n son
!as lost to hi', rather than
!aste the rest of his life, he%d
spend it looking after children
that other people didn%t !ant.
-t he coldn%t do it by hi'self.
,e needed 'y 'other as part of
the fa'ily to get appro#al to be
a foster<parent hi'self. ,e
fond this hose and
persaded her to stay at least
for a !hile and that%s !here it
all started. .t%s been 'y life e#er
since.%
9-t yor ncle%s dead no!.%
9+y 'other is =st as
passionate abot these children
as he !as. When he !as dying,
she pro'ised she !old look
after the' as if they !ere her
o!n. (nd they are, really. 0he
lo#es the'. We all lo#e the'.%
90o !hy didn%t he do
so'ething abot protecting
the'? Legally?%
9;o 'ean, the !ill? . ha#e 'y
o!n theory abot that.% ('y%s
s'ile !as poignant.
9Which is?%
94ncle 7anni !as a !onderfl
'an. ,e%d do anything for
anyone, bt he !asn%t perfect
by any 'eans and he had a bad
habit of con#incing hi'self that
he%d done things becase he
had intended to do the'.% ('y
stck her tonge into her cheek
as she pondered and Lke felt
an odd t!ist in his gt as he
!atched.
9LikeAhe%d be gi#en a chore
like posting a letter or taking
ot the rbbish and he%d say
he%d done it. (nd then, !hen he
!as asked if he%d done it, he%d
sneak off and actally get it
done before he got caght ot. .
!as there once !hen he pt his
hand in his pocket and fond a
letter he%d forgotten to post and
he !inked at 'e, like it !as or
secret. The thing is, he !as a
hopeless liar. The real secret
!as that !e all kne!. (sking
hi' if he%d done so'ething !as
=st a re'inder bt he !old
al!ays say he%d done it
becase he didn%t like to let
anyone do!n and he
al!aysintended to do it.%
90o yo think he intended to
'ake a ne! !ill and didn%t get
arond to it.%
('y nodded. 9(nd nobody
!old ha#e re'inded hi'
becase anything to do !ith
death !as so psetting for hi'.
.t !old re'ind hi' of !hat
he%d lost. +aybe that !as the
reason he coldn%t bring
hi'self to actally go and do it.
Or 'aybe he =st kept ptting it
off, telling hi'self there !as
plenty of ti'e.%
9Only there !asn%t.%
9*o. .t !as so sdden. (
'assi#e stroke. They kept hi'
on life spport for a cople of
days bt then !e had to let hi'
go.%
Lke !as silent. ,e !as
strggling !ith this. /learly,
('y belie#ed she !as telling
the trth. The story rang !ith
the resonance of trth and he
cold sense that faded
photograph hidden in his coat
pocket. The e#idence all arond
hi' spported ('y%s accont.
(nd 94ncle 7anni% had been a
hopeless liar, so he 'st ha#e
belie#ed he !as telling the
trth.
-t if it!as tre, it !ent against
e#erything Lke had been
broght p to belie#e !as tre,
and it threatened to ct deeply
into the respect he had for the
!o'an !ho%d raised hi'.
Things that had been so black
and !hiteAlike the #ales he%d
based his life onA!ere being
held p for inspection and,
instead of the solid fondation
he%d belie#ed the' to be, they
!ere shaky.
$la!ed?
Lke didn%t like that notion. .t
!old 'ean that a part of
hi'self !as potentially =st as
fla!ed, and he !asn%t ready to
accept that.
,e got slo!ly to his feet. 9.
don%t think .%ll bother !aiting for
a taxi,% he said. 9.%ll !alk.%
9.s it far?%
$ar enogh to gi#e hi' ti'e to
think, at least. Lke pt his coat
on. ,e picked p his scarf and
glo#es. 9. !on%t get cold this
ti'e.%
('y !ent to the door !ith hi'.
0he see'ed tired, !hich !as
hardly srprising gi#en that it
!as after FDEE a.'. no!, bt it
!as 'ore than that. 0he !as
sad. "id she 'iss the father
figre she%d had in her life?
(t least she%d kno!n hi'.
9;o need to rest,% Lke told
her.
They !ere close again. Too
close. The te'ptation to kiss
her again en#eloped Lke !ith
painfl intensity.
9. !ill,% ('y said. 9.%ll call
Li))ie%s first, thogh, and see
ho! 0''er%s doing.%
9.%ll check on her first thing. .%ll
be back at !ork by ?DEE a.'.%
9+aybe yo shold =st stay
here. ;o%re not going to get
'ch sleep after !alking
ho'e.%
9. 'ight go back to Li))ie%s and
se the on<call roo'.% The
te'ptation !as strangling Lke.
,e coldn%t stay here and keep
his hands off this !o'an.
-t he had to pase, once
'ore, as he stepped ot into
the night becase the soft
sond of ('y%s #oice !as
arresting.
9,e did lo#e yo,% she said
1ietly.9Lca.%
There it !as again. That na'e.
That pronnciation. 6lling
hi'2so'e!here.
0o'e!here he coldn%t go
becase he had no idea ho! to
get there.
(nd it !as too distrbing.
9"id yo really ha#e no idea?%
('y asked.
9*o.% Lke cold hear the trace
of be!ilder'ent in his o!n
#oice. 9*o idea at all.%
/,(6T3& 0.8
9/,&.0T+(0shopping, !as it?%
90orry?% Lke trned on the
!ater and picked p the s'all
brsh to start scrbbing in. .t
!as ?DFE a.'. and the 1estion
fro' his registrar !as baffling.
9That hge carton . sa! yo
co'ing ot of the lift !ith. ;o
looked as if it !as so'ething
yo !ere planning to hide.%
9+''.% +aybe he%d looked as
frti#e as he%d felt. Lke hoped
he hadn%t been obser#ed earlier,
do!n in the bo!els of 0t
3li)abeth%s ,ospital, follo!ing
the directions of that
cooperati#e cleaner to !here
the recycling and large ite's of
rbbish !ere collected.
9"efinitely /hrist'as stff,% he
said in a tone that !old
discorage any frther
1estions.
95reat ti'e of year, isn%t it?% his
registrar said cheerflly. 9&ather
fn, hiding stff and srprising
people.%
9+''.% Lke paid carefl
attention to scrbbing beneath
his nails. ,is registrar shold
kno! he !asn%t one for idle
chitchat right before srgery
!hen his focs !as on !hat lay
ahead. ,e certainly didn%t !ant
to start thinking abot that early
'orning 'ission becase then
he !old start thinking abot
('y. Wondering ho! he cold
present that box of decorations
crrently sitting in a corner of
his office. .'agining the sparkle
of pleasre he 'ight see in her
face.
(nd if he started to think abot
that, his 'ind !old latch back
on to !hat had kept hi' largely
a!ake for the fe! hors he%d
spent in the single bed the on<
call roo' boasted. -ack to that
kiss. The !ay he had felt
holding ('y in his ar's. That
spiral of desireAor !as it
actallyneed ?Ahad to be
fir'ly da'ped.
The bright lights of the
operating theatre site shold
be far 'ore effecti#e than
daylight e#en in restoring
reality, and Lke !old
!elco'e the retrn to
nor'ality. ,e cold hasten it,
by a ndge in the right
direction.
90o yo kno! !hat%s on the
agenda this 'orning? $or baby
Lia'?%
9Three srgeries in one go,
fro' !hat . cold gather.%
96retty 'ch. (n arterial
s!itch, 70" closre and repair
of an aortic coarctation.%
,is registrar !histled silently
and any thoghts of /hrist'as
shopping !ere clearly
dispelled. They !ere in for a
long, hard session in Theatre.
6reparations to pt the infant
onto the heart<lng bypass
'achine !ere painstaking and
ti'e<cons'ing, co'plicated
by ha#ing to lea#e access to the
arteries that needed
repositioning. .t !as nearly HDEE
a.'. !hen the tiny heart !as
stopped !ith the cold, high<
potassi' soltion that !old
also protect the heart 'scle
!hile it !as not fnctioning.
Lke !as already deep !ithin
the )one that !old enable hi'
to operate !ith no lessening of
precision for 'any hors.
/tting tiny areas of 'iniatre
#essels and placing stitches he
needed 'agnifying goggles to
#isalise accrately. /oating
e#ery stre line !ith fibrin
gle.
0hort breaks to flex 'scles
and conteract strain !ere
taken, bt for 'ini'al periods
of ti'e only. 0ix hors on
bypass !ere getting to the
li'its of !hat a baby cold
tolerate !ell and Lke intended
finishing before then.
The session finished, as it had
begn, !ith another
co'plication. (n abnor'al
rhyth' persisted after the heart
!as restarted and did not
respond !ell enogh to the
cocktail of drgs Lke ordered.
9We%ll keep hi' #entilated and
on se1ential atrio#entriclar
pacing,% he decided e#entally.
9Let%s get p to ./4.%

,ad he bothered to think abot
it, Lke !old ha#e decided he
!as entirely gronded in reality
again by the ti'e he
acco'panied his patient to the
highly specialised nit. The fact
that nothing re'otely
nprofessional crossed his
'ind 'ade it a non<isse.
0o it !as a hge shock to !alk
into the nit and see ('y
sitting beside 0''er%s bed,
holding the little girl%s hand.
Leaning for!ard to press a
gentle kiss to her forehead.
To instantly re'e'ber his o!n
experience of the toch of
('y%s lips.
(ndAe#er so slightlyAto feel
the grond shift beneath his
feet once 'ore.

9.t%s /hrist'as 3#e to'orro!,%
('y !as telling 0''er.
9When all the boys and girls are
asleep, $ather /hrist'as !ill
co'e and lea#e presents nder
the tree.%
9$or2'e?%
9Of corse for yo, darling.%
('y kissed 0''er%s
forehead. 9.%ll bring it in !hen .
co'e to #isit.%
0he looked p, a!are of the
acti#ity beyond the glass
!indo!s of 0''er%s cbicle,
in ti'e to see the srgical tea'
co'e past !ith a tiny, post<
operati#e patient that had to be
baby Lia'. .t !as no srprise
that the baby%s srgeon !as
still close by.
What!as srprising enogh to
take ('y%s breath a!ay !as the
!ay her heart see'ed to stop
and her skin co'e ali#e so that
e#ery cell tingled. The !ay she
felt a connection to this 'an
that !ent far deeper than any
she had the right to feel.
They had shared a kiss, that
!as all.
Onekiss.
.t !as nonsense to feel as
thogh so 'ch 'ore than their
lips had toched. (s thogh
their sols had 'ade contact.
+aybe it !as the reslt of o#er<
thinking, !hich !as a trait ('y
!as sre she had inherited or
learned fro' her 'other. The
ability to endlessly replay and
exa'ine tiny snatches of life.
To experience the' again and
again. To analyse the' and
consider e#ery possible
repercssion.
The !ay ('y had done only
last night after Lke had gone.
(s she%d lain, !akefl, in 4ncle
7anni%s bed.
$or a !hile she%d si'ply
re'e'beredAand 'issedAthe
person !ho%d been the 'ost
i'portant 'an in her life for so
'any years. .t had been a
natral progression of her
thoghts to realise that 4ncle
7anni had, indirectly, been
responsible for bringing a ne!
'an into her life.
,er 'other !old ha#e
probably proclai'ed that it !as
'eant to be and gi#en thanks to
so'e obscre saint.
('y !as fighting the sa'e tiny
#oice in her o!n head that !as
saying the sa'e thing. The one
that !as noting e#ery reaction
she had to Lke ,arrington.
The one that !as tanting her
!ith the accsation that she
!as falling in lo#e.
('y had done her best to
arge back.
"on%t be ridiclos. ,e%s fro'
another planet.
,e%s a 'an, the #oice
!hispered back.;o%re a
!o'an.
,e%s rich. .ncredibly rich. .
!oldn%t e#en kno! !hat spoon
to se if he took 'e ot to
dinner.
-t yo!anthi' to take yo
ot to dinner.
*o! .t cold ne#er !ork.
Why not?
,e%s i'portant. .%'2nobody.
&eally?
*ot according to the !ay he
=dges people. .%' nothing. :st
a nrse. ,e coldn%t e#en
re'e'ber 'y na'e.
.%ll bet he re'e'bers it no!.
(fter that kiss.
(h, yes2That kiss.
(nd the #oice had an arg'ent
co'pelling enogh to al'ost
obliterate any arg'ents ('y%s
rational side cold 'ster.
&e'e'ber !hat +argaret
said?,e%s lonely.
.t strck so'ething na'eless
and deep and ('y sspected
that%s !hat the connection !as
all abot. ;es, she and Lke
ca'e fro' totally different
!orlds and it 'ight be far too
great a challenge to nderstand
and appreciate !hat !as 'ost
i'portant in each other%s li#es,
bt that cold be part of the
connection becase Lke 'ight
not e#en realise ho! lonely he
!as.
,e ob#iosly hadn%t had any
idea his father had lo#ed hi'
and ('y !asn%t sre that her
heartfelt story last night had
con#inced hi'. ,e needed
con#incing if she !as going to
change his 'ind abot the
hose.
,e also neededAas e#eryone
didAto be lo#ed.
(nd that !as so'ething that
('y did ha#e. 0rely the ability
to lo#e transcended the barriers
of stats and !ealth?
(t so'e point dring the
re'aining hors of darkness
and internal con#ersation, an
idea had been born.
( plan.
(nd !hile ('y%s first ob=ecti#e
in co'ing to Li))ie%s this
afternoon had been to spend
so'e ti'e !ith 0''er, she
had also been planning to see
Lke. To talk to hi'. To offer p
her plan.
There !as an a!fl lot resting
on his acceptance of that plan,
so it !as no !onder she !as
ner#os. *o !onder that her
heart tripped and accelerated
!hen she sa! hi'. *ot that it
cold explain !hy it !as so
hard to look a!ay fro' hi' bt
the eye contact didn%t last long
enogh to be an isse.
Lke !as bsy. 0he cold see
hi' sper#ising the transfer of
the baby to the care of the nit
staff. /onslting !ith the other
specialists !ho ca'e in.
+aking final ad=st'ents to the
life<spport e1ip'ent and
finally, taking a phone call.
When he caght her ga)e on
ter'inating the call, ('y had
the horrible i'pression he had
been a!are of ho! often she
had been looking in his
direction. (s thogh he had
expected to 'ake eye contact
the second he had chosen to
lookher !ay.
:st as he expected her to
respond to the sbtle
'o#e'ent of his head that !as
an in#itation to lea#e 0''er%s
side and =oin hi'.
9-e back in a 'inte,
s!eetheart,% she 'r'red.
The reassrance !as 'ore for
herself than 0''er, !ho
see'ed to be sond asleep
again.
/old Lke feel that
distrbance in the air that
intensified !ith e#ery step
closer that she took? ( feeling
of2a!areness !as the only
description she cold co'e p
!ith. 0he !asso a!are of
e#erything abot this 'an.
0he%d seen in hi' in scrbs
before, of corse, bt this !as
co'pletely different becase
this ti'e it !as in the !ake of
ha#ing been kissed by hi'. 0he
kne! ho! hard the 'scles
beneath the ill<fitting cotton
!ere. 0he cold see a s!irl of
dark hair in the deep 7<neck of
the tnic top. 0he cold al'ost
feel the air being 'o#ed as he
scked in a breath. ('y
focsed on his hand, lying
lightly on the high conter in
front of the nrses% station.
Long, elegant fingers dr''ing
al'ost i'perceptibly to denote,
!hat? .'patience? Tension?
+aybe both, ('y decided, her
ga)e flicking p to note the faint
shado!s nder his eyes and
the !ay the 'scles of his =a!
!ere bnched.
9. called the transplant co<
ordination centre first thing this
'orning,% he told ('y. 9. had to
lea#e a 'essage becase it !as
too early, bt they =st called
'e back.%
('y nodded. 0he coldn%t read
!hether the ne!s !as hopefl
or not in his expression.
.nstead, she got the crios
i'pression that he !as
!atching her =st as careflly.
90''er%s at the top of the
list.%
9Oh!% ('y caght her breath.
(nd held it, kno!ing that Lke
had so'ething 'ore to say.
0he coldsee it. Like a tiny
fla'e in the depths of his dark
eyes.
( ray of hope.
9There%s a child,% Lke said
1ietly. 9.n 0cotland. 5lasgo!%s
3astern .nfir'ary. 0he%s been in
a co'a for three !eeks no!
and the parents are ready to
consider organ donation. The
latest 335 sho!ed so'e
acti#ity, ho!e#er, so she
doesn%t yet 'eet the criteria for
being a donor, bt the acti#ity
has declined 'arkedly since
the last test. 0he%s sho!ing
signs of 'lti<syste' failre
bt they%re contining life
spport in the hope that so'e
good 'ay co'e fro' it. They%re
going to repeat the 335 later
today.%
('y cold feel tears prickling.
9The poor fa'ily! What a terrible
ordeal for the'.%
90onds like it 'ight be a
release in so'e !ays,% Lke
said steadily. 9This girl has
se#ere intellectal and physical
disabilities. 0he had a sei)re
and knocked her head hard
enogh to case this co'a.%
9"o yo think2?%
90he sonds like an ideal
'atch.% Lke nodded. 90a'e
blood grop. 5ood si)e of
heart. 0he%s only a cople of
years older than 0''er. We%ll
=st ha#e to keep or fingers
crossed that things co'e
together. 0he cold die fro'
renal failre before her brain
gi#es p. Or they 'ay find the
heart is not sitable !hen it%s
har#ested. ;o kno! the kind of
things that can get in the !ay.%
('y nodded bt she !as
thinking of the child%s fa'ily. 9.t
!old be so hard, !oldn%t it?
To ha#e to send yor child to
Theatre !hen they !ere still on
life spport. 0till breathing. .f it
!as 'y child, .%d =st !ant to
hold it2% ('y had to sniff and
blink rather hard. 90orry.%
('y didn%t need Lke staring
at her to kno! that her e'oti#e
response !as both
nprofessional and nhelpfl.
9"on%t be,% !as all he said,
ho!e#er. 9These sitations are
e'otional for e#eryone
concerned.%
With the possible exception of
hi'self? ,e see'ed perfectly
cal'. Totally professional.
0y'pathetic bt detached.
One of the nit staff ca'e ot
of the office.
9;or secretary =st called, +r
,arrington. There%s so'eone in
yor office !ho%d like to see
yo if yo ha#e a 'inte to
spare.%
Lke glanced at the !all clock.
9*ot really. We%re de to start
again in Theatre in t!enty
'intes and . need to see the
parents.%
9.t%s yor grand'other,% the
clerk said.
9Oh2% The flicker of dark
bro!s !ent p and then do!n
and the fro!n 'ade hi' look as
thogh the srprise !as not a
pleasant one. 9.n that case2%
Lke ga#e ('y a so'e!hat
crt nod. 9We%ll talk later.%
0he !as being dis'issed.
0''er !as forgotten for the
'o'ent and there !as no
chance of an opportnity to
present her plan. Or e#en to tell
hi' that the tyre repair fir' that
he 'st ha#e organised had
been to deal !ith his car. .t !as
frstrating enogh to 'ake
('y ha#e to resist the i'plse
to follo! Lke fro' the nit.
0he !anted ti'e !ith hi'.
(lone.
0he also looked at the clock. .f
Lke !as de in Theatre in
t!enty 'intes and he !anted
a fe! 'intes to reassre his
patient%s parents, he !old
probably only allo! fi#e to ten
'intes to talk to his #isitor. .f
she ti'ed it =st right, ('y
cold catch hi' as he left his
office and she cold, at least,
ask for an appoint'ent to
speak to hi' later.
They needed to talk abot the
hose. ,e%d said so hi'self
'ore than once and it hadn%t
happened yet. They had been
sidetracked by those 9other
things%.
('y sat !ith 0''er for a fe!
'ore 'intes. 0he !as still
sleeping peaceflly. 0he caght
the attention of 0''er%s
nrse.
9.f she !akes p, can yo tell
her .%ll be back soon? .%#e =st
got a 'essage to rn.%
90re.%
4na!are of the deter'ined
expression on her face, ('y
left the nit and headed
to!ards Lke ,arrington%s
office.

95rand'other!% Lke sht the
door of his office behind hi'.
9This is a srprise!%
9. !as in the city for lnch.%
Lady 6rdence ,arrington sat,
ra'rod straight, in the chair in
front of his desk. 0he tilted her
cheek for a csto'ary greeting.
9With &eginald and Lcy
-attersby and her brother.%
9(t -arkers?% (to'atically,
Lke bent to brsh a kiss to the
papery cheek. &eginald%s
brother<in<la! o!ned a
depart'ent store that ri#alled
,arrod%s.
9Of corse.%
Lke didn%t sit do!n. 9. ha#en%t
'ch ti'e, .%' sorry. .%' de
back in Theatre.%
90o . see.% The s'ile !as
tolerant. 9.t%s acceptable, is it?
To be seen in pblic !earing
py=a'as?%
9These are scrbs,% Lke said.
9;o%#e seen srgeons on
tele#ision.%
9. don%t !atch tele#ision. ;o
kno! that, Lke.%
9;es.% Lke had to resist
looking at his office clock. 9.s
so'ething !rong? ;o ne#er
co'e to the hospital. ;o%re not
n!ell in any !ay, are yo?%
9*ot at all. .%' as fit as a fiddle.
(s . said, .%#e =st had lnch
!ith the -attersbys and . had to
co'e past on 'y !ay ho'e so .
got ,enry to drop 'e off at the
front door. ( nice yong !o'an
at &eception told 'e !here .
cold find yor office. . think !e
need to ha#e a talk, Lke.%
Lke raised an eyebro!. 9-t
.%' co'ing to see yo
to'orro!.%
There !as a 'o'ent%s silence
and Lke noticed the !ay his
grand'other !as t!isting the
glo#es she had taken off. .t
ga#e the i'pression the old
!o'an !as ner#os. 0rely
not.
9Why didn%t yo tell 'e, Lke?%
6rdence spoke in a #ery
ncharacteristic rsh. 9(bot
that hose?%
9Oh2% Lke leaned back
against his desk, hooking p
one leg, his eyes narro!ing a
little as he focsed on his
grand'other. 9;es. The hose.
5io#anni +oretti%s hose.%
('y%s hose.
9&eginald tells 'e it%s being
sed as so'e kind of
orphanage. That yo%re
planning to de'olish it. That
yo intend e#icting these
people i''ediately.%
Lke said nothing.
9That !old be !rong, Lke.
3specially at /hrist'asti'e.
4nless better acco''odation
can be fond, of corse. . think
. can help. Lcy and . !ere
talking abot it and !e decided
A%
95rand'other,% Lke
interrpted. ,e kept his #oice
lo!. /al' and collected. There
!as no point in psetting
so'eone he respected and
lo#ed. ,is only fa'ily, in fact.
(nd he had to gi#e her the
benefit of the dobt. Lying !as
dishonorable and it !as not
so'ething the ,arringtons e#er
did. 9"id 'y father e#er try to
find 'e?% he asked. 9"id he
co'e to the #illage? To or
hose, e#en?%
9What 'akes yo ask sch a
thing?%
9.t%s !hat his niece told 'e
!hen . !ent to the hose
yesterday.%
6rdence !ent pale. Lke
cold see !hat little color she
had fading rapidly, and for a
horrible 'o'ent he thoght he
!as abot to !itness his
grand'other collapsing.
9;o !ent to the hose? ;o
spoke to a2a cosin?%
9*ot exactly.% ('y !as
distantly related in so'e
fashion bt it !asn%t that close.
*ot close enogh to be any
kind of obstacle.
(n obstacle to !hat, precisely?
Lke had to shake the
distracting thoght a!ay. 9;o
ha#en%t ans!ered 'y 1estion.%
The soft, kid glo#es !ere being
strangled. 9;o ha#e to
nderstand, Lke. .t !as a
terribly difficlt ti'e.%
9,e did co'e, didn%t he?%
9T!ice. The second ti'e he
ca'e !ith a police'an, bt he
still had no right to trespass.
,enry dealt !ith hi'.%
,enry. The de#oted chaffer
and 'aintenance 'an !ho !as
'arried to 3laine, ,arrington
+anor%s hosekeeper. ( 'an
!ho !old say or do anything
his e'ployer re1ested.
9(nd the first ti'e? Was that
!hen yo told hi' . !as dead?%
.t !as his grand'other%s trn
to be silent. To !ait for !hat
!as clearly co'ing.
9;o told 'e 'y father didn%t
care abot 'e. That . 'eant
nothing to hi'. That yo !ere
the only fa'ily . had or needed.%
9*o.% 6rdence shook her head.
0he looked sddenly 'ch
'ore than her eighty<se#en
years. 0he looked old and so
frail Lke felt a t!inge of gilt
for confronting her. 9. ne#ersaid
that.%
9;o let 'e belie#e it.%
9.t !as for yor o!n sake. $or
all or sakes. /an%t yo see
that, Lke?%
0he kept sing his na'e and it
!as starting to sond strangely
for'al. /old, e#en.
Lca2
9.t !as !rong,% Lke said
hea#ily. 9;o denied 'e 'y
father, bt . !as too yong to
re'e'ber hi' or kno! !hat .
!as 'issing. What !as !orse
!as denying a father his son.%
9.t !as for yor o!n sake,%
6rdence repeated. 9,e !old
ha#e taken yo a!ay, Lke. To
li#e in po#erty in a foreign
contry. ;or edcation !old
ha#e been inade1ate at best.
;o !oldn%t be the person yo
are today. . only !anted !hat
!as best for yo.;o. +y
grandson. The only person !ho
is going to carry the ,arrington
na'e for!ard.%
( sensation akin to horror !as
cra!ling on Lke%s skin. The
enor'ity of !hat had been
done, albeit !ith the best of
intentions. ( 'an%s life had
been crelly da'aged andA.t
!as tre, he 'ight not ha#e
beco'e !ho he !as if things
had been different.
9(re yo not happy !ith the life
yo%#e had, Lke?% ,is
grand'other !as rallying no!.
5athering her pride as she
con#inced herself, yet again,
that she had done !hat had
been only right and proper.
9;o%#e had the best of
e#erything. ;o%re sccessfl
and i'portant. .%' #ery, #ery
prod of yo.%
0he !as. 0he !as also a
strong, prod !o'an !ho had
been fiercely independent since
being !ido!ed !hen her only
child had been yong. $or the
first ti'e Lke had an inkling of
ho! i'portanthe had been to
her. The only link to a belo#ed
hsband and daghter. Withot
hi' in her life, she !old no!
be a #ery lonely old !o'an,
li#ing #irtally alone in an
isolated 'asole' of a fa'ily
ho'e.
0o #ery, #ery different to the
kind of ho'e and fa'ily Lke
'ight ha#e had !ith his father.
(nd ('y.
( 'essy, !ar', #olatile
do'estic 'ix.
/haos #erss order.
/ro!ds against solitde.
+aking do instead of sccess.
The benefits of !hat he%d been
gi#en !ere ob#ios, so !hy did
he feel so confsed? Why did
he feel the rge to grab his coat
fro' the hook on the door, find
that photograph and hold it
nder his grand'other%s nose?
,e !as dangerosly close to
doing so'ething as
nspeakable as shoting at her.
Telling her she had done
so'ething !icked to both his
father and hi'self.
0o'ething that cold ne#er be
ndone.
(nd perhaps that !as the key.
.f it coldn%t be ndone, !hat
!as the point in o#erreacting?
(nd there !as ne#er any point
in reacting to the extent that
e'otions o#errode rational
thinking. Lke pshed hi'self
to his feet.
9. 'st go. We%ll ha#e to
discss this at another ti'e.%
9(s yo !ish.% .f 6rdence !as
disappointed in any !ay, she
!asn%t abot to sho! it. 0he pt
a hand on the ar' of her chair
and started to rise slo!ly. With
another t!inge at ho! frail she
see'ed, Lke helped her to her
feet. ,e picked p her handbag
and the sil#er<tipped cane she
sed and then held open the
office door.
9(re yo all right? "o yo need
'e to co'e do!n !ith yo?%
9. shall 'anage perfectly !ell,
Lke. (s . al!ays do. . belie#e
yo%re needed else!here.%
That !as tre, bt Lke !alked
as far as the lift !ith his
grand'other. The doors
opened as soon as he pshed
the btton and to his srprise a
figre bstled for!ard. Lke
had to catch his grand'other%s
ar' to pre#ent a collision.
9Oh, .%' sorry!%
9('y!%
9Oh2% ('y%s eyes !idened.
0he looked disconcerted. Then
she looked at his co'panion.
6rdence stared back.
9This is 'y grand'other, ('y.
Lady 6rdence ,arrington.
5rand'other, this is ('y
6hillips, a nrse on 'y !ard.%
9.ndeed.% 6rdence inclined her
head graciosly. 9"elighted to
'eet yo, +iss 6hillips.%
('y s'iled. 9;o, too,% she
said. ,er eyes held a 1estion
as she looked back at Lke.
9;o !oldn%t ha#e a 'inte,
!old yo, +r ,arrington?
There%s so'ething . really
!anted to talk to yo abot.%
9One 'inte !old definitely
be the li'it,% Lke said. ,e
kissed his grand'other. 9We%ll
talk later.%
9.ndeed,% 6rdence agreed as
the lift doors slid sht.
('y !as staring at the doors
e#en after they%d sht, a
p))led fro!n on her face.
9Walk !ith 'e,% Lke in#ited. 9.
really ha#e to be in Theatre. We
can talk on the !ay.%
9OK.% ('y ga#e a little skip as
she caght p. Lke headed for
the stairs that !old take hi' to
the theatre site on the top
floor. 9. ha#e an idea,% she said a
little breathlessly.
9Oh?%
9;o%re planning to get rid of
'y hose and then sell the land
and donate all the 'oney to
charity, yes?%
Lke stopped. Thathad been
the plan. $nny ho! it see'ed
a rather long ti'e ago that he%d
'ade it.
9. kno! yo think it%s dreadfl.%
('y%s !ords t'bled ot.
9"isorganised and 'essy and
that 'aybe the children !old
be better off so'e!here else,
bt . can pro#e that%s not tre.%
9Oh?% Lke !as still trying to
re'e'ber !hy it had see'ed
the best corse of action.
95i#e 'e a chance,% ('y
begged. 9. can fix things in the
hose. Tidy e#erything p.
/o'e and see !hat it%s like
!hen +a''a and &osa are
back and it%s 'ore2nor'al.%
,e coldn%t 'iss the flsh on
her cheeks or the !ay her ga)e
slid side!ays. Whate#er !as
nor'al for the 6hillips
hosehold !as hardly likely to
see' nor'al for a ,arrington.
9(fter /hrist'as?% ('y added
hopeflly.
/hrist'as!
Lke trned abrptly. 9/o'e
!ith 'e,% he co''anded.

,e !as heading back to his
office.
Walking so fast ('y had
troble keeping p. 0he hadn%t
presented her plan #ery !ell,
had she? .t had been
disconcerting, 'eeting his
grand'other like that.
6rdence ,arrington.
The old<fashioned gi#en na'e
!as fa'iliar bt ('y coldn%t
locate the 'e'ory and it 'ade
her feel nfocsed.
0o did being in Lke%s office.
3specially !hen he closed the
door behind the'.
9There,% he said. 9.t%s for yo.%
9What?% ('y cold see a chair
and a pair of glo#es lying on the
floor beside it, bt srely he
coldn%t 'ean the'? 0he
looked p at the fra'ed
diplo'as on the !all. (
bookshelf stacked !ith glossy
'edical textbooks arranged
according to height. 6iles of
=ornals that !ere probably
filed by exact isse n'bers.
6lastic 'odels of hearts.
3#erything in its place. Tidy and
precise.
(part fro' the large, battered
cardboard carton in the corner,
!ith a frond of tinsel poking
throgh !here the flaps had
been closed o#er the top of the
box.
9They !ere going to thro!
the' ot,% Lke !as saying =st
behind her sholder. 9.
thoght2%
,e had resced the old
decorations fro' the !ard. ,e
!as gi#ing the' toher.
$or their /hrist'as tree.
$or the children.
('y trned slo!ly, to look p
at the srgeon. This !as the
last thing she !old ha#e
expected and she cold see
that it !as ot of character. ,ad
he asked so'ebody for
so'ething that !as considered
rbbish?
/arried it hi'self, to his pri#ate
office?
$orher ?
.t !as like a flash of lightning.
( crack in the #eneer of a 'an
considered re'ote and
nfeeling, and ('y cold see
clearly into that crack. 0he
cold see the lonely boy
+argaret had told her abot.
0he had 'et the cool !o'an,
generations re'o#ed, !ho had
raised hi'. 0he cold see
so'eone !ho didn%t kno! !hat
it !as like to be really lo#ed.
/herished.
0he !anted to hold hi'. To
cherish hi'.
-t all she cold do !as s'ile
throgh her tears. 9Thank yo.%
9;o%re !elco'e. 6lease, take
the'. . really ha#e to go no!.%
3xcept he didn%t 'o#e.
9Wold yo2think abot !hat .
said? (bot 'y plan? .%ll
doanything 2%
,e !as standing close again.
/lose enogh to kiss her. (nd
he !as staring at her 'oth.
Looking exactly like he had last
night in the park. Like he
!anted to kiss her. Like he
!antedher .
9(nything?%,is #oice !as
hsky.
The silent addition of 93#enthis
?% hng in the air as he bent his
head to kiss her.
Oh, Lord, did he think she !as
offering herself? $or the sake of
sa#ing her hose?
0he !as offering herself, bt
not for that reason. -ecase he
needed so'eone. ,e
neededher .
(nd, yes, she !old do
anything for hi'.
3speciallythis.
('y closed her eyes and ga#e
herself p to the kiss, bt it !as
a kiss barely begn !hen it !as
interrpted by a shocked #oice.
9Lke!%
,e stepped back as if ('y had
bitten hi'. /onfsed, ('y
trned to see his grand'other
standing in the door!ay of the
office.
9. thoght yo !ere re1ired in
the operating theatre, Lke.
4rgently.%
9. a'.%
9. 'st ha#e dropped 'y
glo#es. . ca'e back.% 6rdence
ga#e ('y a look that 'ade her
!ant to check that her blose
!as still bttoned and then sink
into the floor and #anish.
(nd then, before she cold
finish cringing, she !as alone.
The glo#es had been snatched
p and gi#en back to their
o!ner and both Lke and his
grand'other had gone.
('y stood there, be'sed.
0he toched her lips !ith her
tonge and she cold still taste
Lke.
0he looked at the box of
decorations and she cold still
see the crack in that #eneer.
The gli'pse into the sol of the
'an she lo#ed.
-t, 'ost of all, she felt
repri'anded. 6rdence had
infor'ed her, !ith a single
glance, of =st ho! co'pletely
nsitable she !as.
4nacceptable.
6rdence. +ore than being
carefl. +ore like being
srronded by an i'penetrable
!all. The !o'an had no sol.
Where on earth had she heard
that?
$ro' 4ncle 7anni.
,e%d said it. (bot /aroline%s
'other. *ot to ('y, bt she%d
o#erheard and she%d kno!n
that she !old not like this
!o'an if she e#er 'et her.
(nyone that had 'ade 4ncle
7anni sond that 'iserable !as
not a nice person.
Lke !as her grandson.
,arrington !as the na'e he
had chosen to se for the rest
of his life.
.t !as getting a lot harder to
hang on to the thoght that
Lke 'ight not ha#e kno!n his
father had been ali#e. That he
'ight, in fact, ha#e si'ply
!ished hi' to be dead.
(nd 'aybe that !as !hy he
really !anted to get rid of the
hose. ,o! nai#e had she
been, thinking that she cold
offer to tidy it p and 'ake
e#erything all right?
"a)ed, ('y eyed the box of
decorations. 0he shold lea#e it
behind and pointedly refse a
gift fro' this 'an.
-t that cr'pled, 'essy box
didn%t belong in this pristine
office any 'ore than she did.
('y picked it p.
(nd left.
/,(6T3& 0373*
T,O03bra#e enogh to be ot
in te'peratres !ell belo!
)ero, beneath a sky hea#y !ith
sno! that !asn%t ready to fall,
trned their heads to !atch the
yong !o'an, !ith long dark
hair and an angry expression,
stalking throgh the otskirts
of &egent%s 6ark !ith a large
cardboard box in her ar's.
('y !as obli#ios to the
stares.
(nd, yes, she !as angry.
/onfsed.
,orrified, e#en.
The strength of the feelings
she had for Lke !ere
pro#iding the confsion. ,o!
cold she feel like this abot a
'an !ho !as prepared to
destroy the hose his o!n
father had li#ed in? The only
re'aining link to the life he had
bilt? To break p the only
fa'ily 5io#anni +oretti had
retained and to pose a threat to
the children !ho had beco'e
his father%s life?
;o%d ha#e to really hate
so'eone to be that #engefl.
,ad he al!ays hated his
father? Why? ,ad 4ncle 7anni
kno!n all along that it !as
hatred he had to get past? ,ad
he stayed in London !aiting
ntil Lke !as old enogh to
choose for hi'self !hether he
had anything to do !ith his
father? +aybe 4ncle 7anni had
li#ed !ith the hope that
so'ething !old change for all
those years.
Li#ed !ith the backgrond
'isery that he !as being
denied a relationship !ith his
son. ,is only child. The thoght
'ade ('y angry. 7ery angry.
(nd 'aybe 4ncle 7annihad
intended to gi#e Lke his hose
and another !ill didn%t exist. (
final plea for forgi#eness? With
the largest token he cold ha#e
presented to tell his son ho!
'ch it had 'attered?
Lke !as prepared to take that
token and hrl it into obli#ion.
,o! on earth cold she ha#e
fallen in lo#e !ith so'eone
capable of doing that?
9Bietta ('y!% The t!ins had
been !atching for her retrn
fro' the dra!ing<roo' !indo!
and they flng the front door
open. 9.s that a present?
$ors ?%
9.t%s for all of yo. Where%s
Boe? (nd &obert and (ndre!
and the girls?%
They !ere all in the kitchen,
!hich see'ed o#erly !ar' as
she%d co'e in fro' the otside.
('y peeled off her coat and
draped it o#er a chair and tried
not to think abot Lke%s coat
hanging in exactly the sa'e
place. The children gathered to
stare, !ide<eyed, at the box,
except for &obert, !ho stared at
('y.
9,o!%s 0''er doing?% he
asked grffly.
90he%s 'ch better. 0he%s
getting tired #ery 1ickly bt
she !as a!ake and playing !ith
her doll for a !hile. 0he%s
excited abot /hrist'as.%
9Will she be co'ing ho'e?%
/hantelle asked. 9.n ti'e for
/hrist'as?%
('y had to shake her head. 9.
don%t think so, honey. 0he
needs to be !atched #ery
careflly. We%re all hoping she
'ight get a ne! heart #ery soon
bt ntil then she 'ight ha#e to
stay in the hospital.%
9,e%sspposed to fix her,%
&obert 'ttered lodly.
9Who?% /hantelle and Kyra
!ere edging closer to the
'ysterios box and the t!ins
!ere cli'bing on chairs to see
!hat !as happening.
95 01ared,% Boe spplied.
9('y, .%' 'aking baked beans
on toast for tea. .s that OK?%
90onds good to 'e.% -eans
!ere #egetables, !eren%t they?
9What%s 5 01ared?% /hantelle
1eried.
95rA%
90he 'eans +r ,arrington,%
('y interrpted hrriedly.
90''er%s doctor. Let%s do
so'e eggs to go on top of the
beans,% she added to Boe. 9,a#e
!e got eggs?%
9.%ll ha#e a look.% Boe 'o#ed to
the fridge and +onty sat p on
his blanket, !atching her
hopeflly.
/hantelle toched the box. 9.s
that a pppy in there?%
('y caght Boe%s ga)e as her
babysitter e'erged fro' the
fridge !ith a carton of eggs.
Boe grinned. 9;o%#e got a
pppy already. ;o 'ight hrt
+onty%s feelings if yo ask for
another one.%
+onty obligingly pricked p his
ears on hearing his na'e and
did his best to look as
appealing as a giant, scrffy
dog cold look. +arco and
(ngelo cli'bed do!n fro' their
chairs to go and hg hi'.
/hantelle sighed
philosophically and &obert and
Kyra took ad#antage of
e#erybody%s attention being on
their ne! pet to 'o#e in and
fold back the flaps of the box.
9Oh!% Kyra gasped.9Look!%
9What? What?% +onty !as
forgotten as the yonger
children cro!ded close.
Kyra reached ot to lift a loop
of tinsel. 9.t%s decorations,% she
said re#erently. 9$or or tree.%
9There%s a heap of stff.% &obert
sonded i'pressed. 9Where%s it
co'e fro'?%
9They%re old ones fro' the
hospital.% ('y !atched as the
first of do)ens of colored balls
and stars !ere lifted fro' the
box. *obody see'ed to notice
that the balls !ere a little dll
and that so'e !ere chipped. Or
that the shiny cardboard stars
had bent corners. 9(ctally, it
!as +r ,arrington that resced
the' fro' being thro!n ot.%
('y had no idea ho! difficlt it
'ight ha#e been for Lke to
find ti'e in his bsy schedle
to do that bt the fact that he
had gone ot of his !ay at all
!as a'a)ing. (nd the !ay he
had offered the' to her !ith
that oddly hopefl expression
that begged for acceptance had
been !hat had tipped the
balance.
( 'o'ent that had been a
pinpoint in ti'e bt one that
('y !old al!ays re'e'ber
becase that had been the
'o'ent she had fallen in lo#e
!ith Lke ,arrington.
,ead<o#er<heels stff. ( lo#e
as big as (frica. -igger.
.t didn%t 'ake any difference
that it 'ight be inappropriate.
Or n!ise. .t had happened, it
!as as si'ple as that.
9Oh!% /hantelle !as teetering
on the edge of a chair to reach
frther into the box. 9Kyra! Look
!hat . fond!%
9.%ll get it.% Kyra%s ar' !as
longer. 9;o%ll fall off in a
'inte.% 0he lifted so'ething
ot of the box.
9.t%s an angel.% /hantelle%s eyes
!ere shining. 9$or the top of or
tree. Oh2it%s =st !hat .al!ays
!anted.%
,e shold be here, ('y
thoght sddenly. Lke shold
be here to see this. ( 'agic
'o'ent. ( child%s pre =oy. ,e
shold be seeing it becase
then he !old nderstand ho!
so'ething so s'all and
ordinary to 'ost people cold
be so i'portant to so'eone
else.
To see the !ay the t!o girls
hgged each other and ho! the
older boys gathered p the
decorations and led the !ay to
their tree, !ith the t!ins
babbling happily in .talian, the
girls holding hands, &obert
leading the !ay carrying the
box, and (ndre! keeping pace
as his right<hand 'an. (
disparate bnch of siblings,
certainly, bt right no!Aand
for as long as they cold
re'ain li#ing togetherAthey
!ere a fa'ily.
('y !as torn bet!een !anting
to help the children decorate
the tree and needing to help
Boe get a 'eal on the table. 0he
!as sa#ed ha#ing to 'ake the
choice by the telephone ringing
and the relief of being able to
connect !ith the 'issing
'e'bers of this fa'ily.
9&osa! ,o! are yo?%
9Totally exhasted bt .%#e
done it, ('y!%
9What?%
9.%#e 'anaged to get tickets
ho'e. .n ti'e for /hrist'as.
(l'ost.%
9(l'ost?%
9We fly in on /hrist'as
'orning. The plane lands at
,eathro! really early2?DFE
a.'. ;o !oldn%t belie#e ho!
difficlt it%s been and it%s cost
an absolte fortne. . don%t
kno! ho! 'ch 'ore the credit
card !ill stand bt !e%ll try and
get presents for all the kids on
or !ay ho'e.%
9They%ll be thrilled to see yo.
,o!%s *onna?%
95etting stroppy. . think the
doctors !ere only too pleased
to sign a for' to say she%s fit to
tra#el. -et!een her and
+a''a, the staff ha#e been
plling their hair ot. ,o!%s
0''er?%
9,olding her o!n, thank
goodness.%
('y told her sister abot the
faint possibility of a heart
beco'ing a#ailable #ery soon.
.ne#itably, Lke%s na'e !as
'entioned, 'ore than once, bt
('y resisted asking the
1estion on the tip of her
tonge.
9Where are 'y boys?% &osa
asked. 9(re they beha#ing?%
9They%re !onderfl. They%re all
decorating the tree in the
dra!ing roo' right no!. .%ll get
the' for yo in a tick.%
9What are they decorating the
tree !ith?%
9There !as a box of things that
!eren%t needed in the !ard.
0hiny balls and stars and tinsel.
4sal sort of stff bt there%s
an angel, too, for the top. ;o
shold ha#e seen /hantelle%s
face. 0he%s so happy!%
9. !ish . !as there. ,o! did yo
score treasre like that?%
9They%re old.%
9"oesn%t sond as if the kids
'ind.%
9*o. To tell the trth, &osa, .
didn%t e#en kno! they !ere
being thro!n ot. .t !as +r
,arrington that got the' for s.%
9+r ,arrington? 0''er%s
srgeon?%
9;eah.%
9,o! a'a)ing! ,e didn%t see'
like the kind of gy !ho%d do
so'ething like that !hen . 'et
hi' last ti'e 0''er !as in
hospital.%
9*o.%
9,e 'st be nicer than he
looks.% &osa laghed. 9*ot that
there%s anything !rong !ith the
!ay helooks , fro' !hat .
re'e'ber.% There !as a
heartbeat%s silence. 9(h! .s
there so'ething going on .
shold kno! abot?%
('y coldn%t deny it, bt she
cold change the sb=ect and
ask the 1estion that !as still
ho#ering. The one that 'ight
allo! a !indo! of hope that she
!as !rong abot Lke.
9"o yo re'e'ber anything
abot 4ncle 7anni%s son?%
9Lca? *ot really. ,e !as only
three !hen he !as killed and
or birthdays !ere on the sa'e
day so . !as only three, too. -it
yong to re'e'ber 'ch.%
9;o had the sa'e birthday? .
ne#er kne! that.%
9That !as ho! they kne! each
other. +a''a and /aroline
!ere in the hospital together
and Lca and . !ere like t!ins
for a year or t!o. There%s lots of
photos so'e!here.%
There !as only one ('y cold
think of. The one on 4ncle
7anni%s 'irror !ith that chbby,
laghing baby. 0he carried the
cordless phone !ith her as she
!alked to!ards the roo' on
i'plse.
90o !e !eren%t actally related
to 4ncle 7anni?% Why did the
prospect of that being tre
'ake her feel better?
9*o. -t !e adopted 4ncle
7anni !hen !e fond hi' in
London. ,e !as so 'iserable.
,e needed a fa'ily and the rest,
as they say, is history.%
('y !as in the roo' no!. .n
front of the dresser. 0taring at
the gap at the top left<hand
corner !here that photograph
had been. &e'e'bering that
flash of gilt she%d seen on
Lke%s face !hen he%d
appeared in the kitchen, ha#ing
been snooping arond the
hose.
9&osa?%
90i?%
9"id 4ncle 7anni e#er talk
abot /aroline%s 'other?%
9The 6rde? Once. ,e s!ore
'e to secrecy and sho!ed 'e a
scrapbook /aroline had started
'aking for Lca. .t had her
fa'ily history and pictres of
the hose and all sorts of
things. .t !as like a cross
bet!een a photo alb' and a
diary. 0he !rote in it. +ostly
abot ho! happy she !as bt
there !as a bit abot ho! sad it
!old be to ne#er see her
'other again.%
9What happened to the
scrapbook?%
9. ha#e no idea. .t !as years
and years ago and .%d forgotten
all abot it. +aybe it%s still in
the sa'e place.%
9Which !as?%
9Tcked nder all the stff in
his botto' dra!er.%
('y opened the dra!er !hile
&osa !as still talking. 9;o
kno!, all 4ncle 7anni had
!anted for years !as to #isit
the gra#es and pt so'e
flo!ers on the', bt they !ere
both bried in so'e pri#ate
ce'etery beside the fa'ily
chapel. +a''a persaded hi'
to try again and "ad e#en !ent
!ith hi' in his police'an%s
nifor', bt she !oldn%t let
the' into the hose and the
btler or !hoe#er he !as said
they !old be prosected for
trespass if they e#er set foot on
the property again. ,o!
horrible !as that?%
96retty horrible.% ('y had
fond the leather<bond
scrapbook exactly !here &osa
had thoght it 'ight be. 0he
carried it back to the kitchen.
0he had been fi#e !hen they
had 'o#ed to London, !hich
'ade her older sister ten at the
ti'e. Lke had been the sa'e
age. +aybe Lke coldn%t be
held responsible for !hat had
been said !hen he%d been fi#e,
bt ten had been 'ore than old
enogh to kno! abot his
father. To choose !hether to
ha#e contact or not.
The hope that she 'ight ha#e
been !rong died !ith a painfl
1i#er.
+aybe 6rdence had si'ply
done !hat her grandson had
!anted. .t !as easy enogh to
i'agine a s'aller #ersion of
Lke !ith his pri#ileged life so
precisely ordered. ,ad he been
asha'ed of the fact that his
father !as .talian? That he had
been 'erely a #ineyard !orker?
3#en as an adlt, he%d ne#er
co'e looking. *e#er gi#en
5io#anni a single chance.
0hold she tell &osa that her
al'ost t!in !asn%t dead after
all? That he no! o!ned the
hose they !ere co'ing back
to =st in ti'e for a /hrist'as
celebration?
*o. There !old be ti'e
enogh to say !hat had to be
said later.
(nd ('y had a fe! things she
!anted to say to Lke first. 0he
also had so'ething she
intended to sho! hi'. 0he
slipped the scrapbook into her
red tote bag.

0ix o%clock, bt it see'ed
'ch later.
$ro' the neon<lit interior of 0t
3li)abeth%s, it looked pitch<
black otside. Lke cold see
the /hrist'as lights decorating
the la'pposts on the 'ain road
beyond the car park. ,e%d =st
co'e fro' the intensi#e care
nit !here baby Lia' and his
other srgical cases for the day
!ere all doing as !ell as he
cold hope for. ,e%d checked
on 0''er, as !ell, and she
!as stable, bt !ho kne! ho!
long that !old last?
0o'ething cold tip the
balance at any ti'e and send
her into heart failre they had
no hope of re#ersing. Or her
heart 'ight si'ply gi#e p the
strggle and stop.
Lke pased 'o'entarily. ,e
shold pt a call throgh to the
3astern .nfir'ary in 5lasgo!
and find ot !hat the reslts
had been of the 335 they%d
been planning to repeat on that
child in the co'a. /hecking his
ans!ering<'achine for a
'essage first !old be polite,
ho!e#er, so he changed
direction to head for his office
before going back p to the
theatre site%s changing roo's
to get ot of his scrbs.
,e !as al'ost there. :st
otside the on<call bedroo'
he%d sed last night, in fact,
!hen he sa! a slight figre trn
fro' his office door and stride
to!ards hi'.
9There yo are!%
Lke halted, taken aback by
the anger he cold hear in
('y%s #oice. What had he
done? The last contact he%d had
!ith this !o'an had been in
his office earlier that afternoon.
&ather close physical contact,
and he hadn%t been a!are of
any ndercrrent of
antagonis' at the ti'e.
$ar fro' it!
,ad ('y been as e'barrassed
as he had been !hen his
grand'other had interrpted
the'? Was that !hat !as
psetting her?
*o. The co''anding tone of
the single !ord she spoke next
pt paid to that theory.
9Lca!%
,e said nothing.
9Why?% ('y asked !ith
decepti#e softness. 9Why did
yo hate hi' so 'ch? What
did yor father e#er do to
deser#e that?%
9,e !as ne#er a father to 'e.%
Lke spoke =st as 1ietly and
he glanced s!iftly arond, bt
there !as nobody to o#erhear.
*e#ertheless, this !as a
con#ersation that shold be
pri#ate. ,is office? The on<call
roo' right beside the'?
-t ('y !asn%t going
any!here. 0he planted her
hands on her hips and glared
p at hi'.
9(nd !hose choice !as that?
;o !oldn%t let hi' be a father
to yo, !old yo? ;o refsed
to see hi'. "id he kno! that?
,ad he had to pretend to his
fa'ily that yo had died so he
didn%t ha#e to ad'it to the
sha'e of ha#ing a son !ho
didn%t !ant anything to do !ith
hi'?%
9*o! .t !asn%t like that. .t !as
hi' !ho !anted nothing to do
!ith 'e. Or so . thoght. . gre!
p belie#ing he didn%t care.%
96fff!% The sond !as otraged.
9.t #ery nearly destroyed
hi',Lca !%
,e !ished she !oldn%t say his
na'e like that. ,e!asn%t Lca.
,adn%t been since before he
cold re'e'ber.
9,e lo#ed yo.0o 'ch. (s
'ch as he lo#ed yor 'other.%
('y scked in a breath. 9Why
did yo steal the photograph?%
9.2ah2% 5od, she !as
'es'erising. ,er face alight
!ith the intensity of her
e'otions. ,er eyes flashing
sparks of fry.
9;o destroyed it, didn%t yo?%
9*o.%
9;o%re planning to. :st like
yo%re planning to destroy his
hose.%
Lke coldn%t deny it.
9;o don%t !ant to belie#e he
lo#ed yo. That he !old ha#e
died for yo. That all he e#er
!anted !as a chance to lo#e
yo.%
9Listen to 'e,% Lke snarled. ,e
pt his hands on ('y%s
sholders and trned her so
that her back !as against the
!all. 0o she !old ha#e to look
p and listen. 9. ne#er kne! he
ca'e looking for 'e. +y
grand'other thoght she !as
protecting 'e. 0he told
5io#anni his son had died. .
gre! p belie#ing he didn%t care
and2yes, . hated hi' and
that!as the reason . !anted to
get rid of the hose, bt no!2%
9*o!?%
9*o! .%' not sre. . need ti'e
to figre ot !hat to do. What it
is .2!ant2% Lke%s !ords
trailed a!ay. ,e%d got carried
a!ay !ith !hat he !as saying.
0o carried a!ay he%d actally
forgotten it !as possible that
so'eone co'ing along the
corridor cold o#erhear and
that his 'ost pri#ate life cold
beco'e a sb=ect of gossip. Or
obser#e hi' !ith his hands on
a fe'ale colleage. Leaning
to!ards her, for all the !orld as
thogh he !as abot to kiss
her.
Worst of all, he didn%t gi#e a
da'n.
-ecase he kne! !hat he
!anted. ,e !as toching it and
his hands !ere brning.
9Lca?% The !ord !as a
!hisper and ('y%s ga)e clng
to his. ,er lips !ere slightly
parted and the flsh of anger
sill tinged her cheeks. 9Whatdo
yo !ant?%
Lke reached do!n beside
('y. To trn the handle of the
door and psh it open. ,e
trned ('y%s sholder !ith his
other hand and dre! her into
the pri#acy of the on<call
bedroo'.
9;o,% he said, his #oice ra!.
95od help 'e, ('y. . !antyo .%

('y !as, 1ite literally, being
s!ept off her feet.
.nto a s'all roo' that Lke%s
presence filled !ith an
o#erpo!ering force, e#en
before he closed and locked the
door behind the'.
(n otside !indo! !ith
crtains that !ere only half<
dra!n allo!ed light to filter in
fro' the otside !orld. :st
enogh to gi#e for' to the
force o#erpo!ering e#ery one
of ('y%s other senses.
*ot that she really needed to
see Lke. 0he cold feel hi'
!ith e#ery cell of her body.
0'ell his 'aleness and his
arosal. -reathe hi' in along
!ith the air she 'anaged to
snatch before his lips clai'ed
hers !ith a hnger that cold
ha#e been frightening.
3xcept it !asn%t becase her
o!n hnger 'atched his. ,er
lips !ere parted before contact
!as 'ade and her tonge
tangled !ith Lke%s before she
ga#e in !ith a groan of need
and allo!ed his to penetrate her
'oth nhindered. The shaft of
desire it sparked !as so
intense she groaned again,
helping Lke as he rcked p
her skirt, gripped her hips and
plled her against his hardness
that the thin cotton of his scrb
pants did nothing to restrict.
Thin layers of cotton and silk
!ere the only barriers to the
penetration her body !as
desperate for, and ('y coldn%t
!ait. 0he slid her hands
beneath Lke%s tnic top to feel
the s'ooth skin of his back and
then her hands 'o#ed do!n
and it !as so easy to slip the'
beneath the elastic of the loose
pants and delight in taking hold
of bttocks that felt like silk<
co#ered steel.
Lke echoed her o!n sonds
of need and ('y%s feet left the
floor again as she !as lifted
and placed on the narro! bed.
*ot that she noticed the si)e of
the bed. Or e#en the roo'. Lke
filled the space. The roo'!as
Lke.
,er blose lost at least one
btton and her bra !as
nfastened bt not re'o#ed.
Lke si'ply pshed it aside as
his hands cpped her breasts.
Then his lips and tonge
replaced the brsh of his
fingers and ('y cried ot softly
as she felt the gra)e of his teeth
against nipples that had ne#er
been this sensiti#e.
/lothes !ere a nisance,
bnched and clinging, bt the
lxry of getting naked !as
going to take too 'ch ti'e for
either of the' so they dragged
the' aside only as 'ch as
absoltely necessary and
ignored the disco'fort. They
!ere na!are of it in the throes
of physical passion, the likes of
!hich ('y had certainly ne#er
experienced.
.t !as cra)y. White<hot lst that
carried her to the brink of
insanity and then exploded. .t
!asn%t ntil !ell after Lke had
shddered in her ar's in the
!ake of his o!n cli'ax and
then slo!lyAheartbeat by
heartbeatArelaxed against her
that ('y cold start thinking
again.
*ot that she !anted to think of
anything other than the
sensation of lying in Lke%s
ar's like this. The patches of
their skin that !ere naked still
in contact. ,is breath, ragged
against the side of her neck. ,is
hands still holding her as
thogh they ne#er !anted to let
her go. ,er o!n ar's !ere
arond hi'.
,oldinghi' .
(n e'brace that !as so tender
it !as heart<breaking.
0he shold say so'ething, bt
!hat?
That !as a'a)ing?
. ne#er kne! sex cold be that
good?
. lo#e yo, Lca?
What !old he say to that?
That he !asn%t Lca, he !as
Lke? ( ,arrington? That !hile
the sex had certainly been
good, this !as a relationship
that cold ne#er go any
frther?
0afer to re'ain silent and not
risk hearing so'ething that
cold destroy !hat !as still the
'ost 'agic 'o'ent of ('y%s
life.
One that had, beyond any
other, taken her breath a!ay.
.n the end, the transfor'ation
fro' Lca to Lke happened
rapidly thanks to the strident
sond of his pager co'ing fro'
so'e!here on the floor. ('y
cold feel the !ay reality ca'e
bet!een the', breaking the
connection. +aking e#ery
'scle in Lke%s body tense as
he reached for the phone on the
beside table.
9,arrington.%
,e listened for less than a
'inte. 9.%' on 'y !ay,% he
said.
,e trned back to ('y. 9The
335 on the child in 5lasgo!
!as negati#e. The parents ha#e
signed donor<consent for's.
0''er%s heart%s on the !ay.%
/,(6T3& 3.5,T
W,(Thad he done?
$or the next hor, Lke had no
ti'e to think abot anything
other than the logistics of
bringing a donor heart to a
dying child. /o<ordinating the
har#est srgery in 5lasgo!, the
helicopter that !old rsh it to
London and his o!n part in the
procedreAstarting the srgery
on 0''er and getting her
onto a heart<lng bypass
'achine, tri''ing and
preparing the donor heart as
soon as it arri#ed and then
re'o#ing 0''er%s heart,
'atching the excision as
exactly as possible to the sa'e
shape as the donor organ.
To create a perfect 'atch.
This had to !ork becase it
!old sa#e 0''er%s life and2
for the first ti'e, Lke%s
'oti#ation had a ne! edge.
That he !as doing this for ('y,
as !ell as 0''er, cold not
be dis'issed as irrele#ant.
.t !as a gift that !old bring
tears of =oy to her eyes. (n
a'a)ing gift that Lke !as
capable of besto!ing, and ('y
!old lo#e it.
Wold she lo#ehi' for gi#ing
it?
( respite in organisation ca'e
!hen e#erything !as set p.
The srgery !old start in
5lasgo! and a phone line !as
being kept open, linking the
theatres. When the donor heart
!as re'o#ed and prononced
#iable, the clock !old start
ticking in London and 0''er
!old 'o#e into Theatre and
go nder the anaesthetic. 0he
!as already in the anteroo'
and nder 'ild sedation bt the
s'all girl did not see' at all
frightened.
Why !old she be?
0he lay cddled in ('y%s ar's
and Lke kne! exactly ho! that
felt. ,o! 'ch !as being
gi#en. (nd that !as !hen the
enor'ity of !hat had happened
in the on<call roo' hit ho'e.
Lke had ne#er been cddled.
,is grand'other lo#ed hi', he
kne! that, bt she !asn%t
capable of being physically
de'onstrati#e. +aybe she
ne#er had been. +aybe that had
contribted to his 'other falling
in lo#e !ith so'eone !ho
cold sho! her ho! i'portant
that kind of co'fort !as. ,is
o!n parents had certainly been
co'fortable !ith close contact.
,e cold tell that fro' that
photograph he had looked at
'any ti'es since he had stolen
it.
0o he had kno!n lo#e throgh
toch and then it had been
!renched fro' his life and he
hadn%t experienced it again.
4ntil no!.
,e !asn%t a #irgin. $ar fro' it.
-t he%d ne#er, e#er felt
threatened by sex.
(fraid.
(fraid he%d fond so'ething
he%d been looking for his entire
life becase, ha#ing fond it, he
!old ha#e to li#e !ith the fear
Ano, thekno!ledge Athat it
cold be !renched a!ay fro'
hi'.
*o. ,is heart told hi' he cold
trst ('y. With his life.
,e cold hear her reassring
0''er.
93#erything%s fine,cara . .t%s
going to be all right. .%' taking
care of yo. .%' taking care of
e#erything.%
3#erything?
What did that 'ean?
Oh2;es2
Lke%s brain dredged p !hat
!as ringing the alar' bell and
his head had al!ays !on o#er
anything his heart had to say.
5ood and bad. That%s !hy he
had learned to listen and follo!
!hat it said. &ational thinking
o#er e'otion. ,is head had
so'ething #ery different to his
heart to say right no!.
;o can%t trst it,it
said.&e'e'ber!
&e'e'ber !hat?
&e'e'ber !hat she said.
What did she say?
0he%d do anything to sa#e that
da'ned hose. To keep it for
her fa'ily.(nything!(nd she
=st said it again, didn%t she?
0he%s taking care of e#erything.
0he 'ight ha#e 'eant the
operation. The other children.
/hrist'as.
*o. 0he had sex !ith yo
becase she !ants so'ething.
+e. 0he !ants 'e the sa'e
!ay . !ant her.
*o. 0he !ants the hose.
That%s all. &e'e'ber? 0he%d
doanything!
.t !as tre. ,e%d looked at her
in his office and the desire to
hold her and kiss her had been
o#er!hel'ing, and she%d said
she%d do anything and his body
had screa'ed the 1estionA
e#en this?
(nd her eyes had gi#en hi' the
ans!er.;es. 3specially this.
0he 'ay ha#e !anted it as
'ch as he had, bt had that
been becase she !as
prepared to do anything to sa#e
her ho'e and he%d =st gone
along !ith it? ,is grand'other
had been horrified that he !as
kissing ('y in his office. ,o!
shocked !old she be to kno!
he%d had sex !ith her in the on<
call bedroo'? 5ood grief, !hat
ifthat hit the grape#ine? ,is
reptation !old be rined.
('y cold black'ail hi' !ith
that if she !as so inclined. The
thoght sent a chill do!n his
spine. ,e cold not allo! that
to happen.
,e cold 'ake sre it didn%t.
0he coldha#e the da'ned
hose. ,e%d hand it to her on a
plate and see if that 'ade a
difference. ,e%d be able to tell.
,er face. Those eyesAthey
!ere so incredibly expressi#e.
.f the hose !as all she%d
!anted, he%d see satisfaction
for pay'ent of ser#ices
rendered. 7ictory !old be
!ritten there for hi' to read.
(nd if he sa! so'ething else?
There !as no ti'e to
conte'plate that scenario.
9The 3astern .nfir'ary%s called
throgh,% a nrse relayed.
9,eart%s good. .t%s being chilled
and packed no! and the
helicopter is standing by on the
roof.%
9/ode green, then.% Lke
si'ply nodded at the
anaesthetist, any personal
thoghts banished instantly.
9;o start !hile .%' scrbbing.%
,e had to ignore the flash of
fear in ('y%s eyes. The !ay she
sed both her hands to stroke
the child%s face as she bent
do!n for a final kiss.
9.t%s all right,cara ,% she
!hispered. 9.%ll be here !hen
yo !ake p. 3#erything%s
going to be fine.%

The srgery !as going to take
hors. &ather than !ait and
pace otside Theatre, ('y
chose to go ho'e. While Boe
!as happy to babysit and
&obert prod to help, they !ere
still both too yong to ha#e
co'plete responsibility for the
others, especially t!o li#ely six<
year<old t!ins.
6art of ('y !anted nothing
'ore than to stay and keep #igil
and she !as 'issing her
'other and sister 'ore right
no! than e#er, bt that !as
another reason to lea#e for a
!hile. 0he needed to call the'
and tell the' abot this ne!,
potentially 'iraclos
de#elop'ent in 0''er%s life.
0he !old also need to ans!er
the 1estions and gi#e
infor'ation that +arcella !old
de'and to kno! e#en if she
coldn%t nderstand it. ('y
rehearsed ho! she 'ight
explain the procedre in si'ple
ter's as she hrried ho'e
throgh the icy, dark e#ening,
her 'obile phone cltched in
her hand in case her friend !ho
!orked in &eco#ery texted her
!ith any ne!s of progress in
Theatre F. 0''er%s theatre.
0he took the ti'e to reassre
all the children and ad'ire the
ne!ly decorated tree. /hantelle
!as bea'ing.
9&obert said !e%d keep 'y
paper strea'ers, as !ell, %cos
they%re really cool.%
The look &obert exchanged
!ith ('y !as so fll of adlt
co'prehension and caring that
she had to gi#e hi' a hg. ,e
stood there a bit stiffly and
didn%t retrn the affectionate
gestre, bt she cold tell he
liked it by ho! grff his #oice
!as.
9.%ll get the t!ins to bed,% he
said. 9/o'e on, yo lot. .t%s
getting late and it%s /hrist'as
3#e to'orro!. .f yo%re not
good, yo !on%t get presents.%
9We%re good,% (ngelo insisted,
chasing +arco to catch p !ith
&obert. 9(ren%t !e, &oberto?%
90o'eti'es,% he conceded.
9/o'e on. 0coot!%
The t!ins scooted. ('y pt
so'e fel onto the dra!ing<
roo' fire near the tree and
tcked the gard secrely into
place. 0he patted +onty, !ho
!as lying on the hearth rg !ith
Kyra, /hantelle and (ndre!,
and then she took another
'o'ent to ad'ire the tree. 0he
!old ha#e to re'e'ber to
bank the fire again to'orro!
night !hen she tiptoed in !ith
the gifts crrently in hiding
nder 4ncle 7anni%s bed. With
the roo' !ar' and the tree
looking so festi#e, /hrist'as
'orning !as going to be
so'ething to look for!ard to.
3specially if they had good
ne!s abot 0''er to
celebrate.
.t !as 'ore than ti'e to let
0''er%s official foster<'other
kno! !hat !as going on.
9,o! do they do it?% +arcella
fretted. 9,o! can they do it in
ti'e? What happens !hen they
take the old heart ot? .s there
=st nothing there? (n e'pty
chest?"io 'io , bt !hat
happens to all the blood?%
9There%s no blood,% ('y
assred her. 9There%s a special
'achine and all the blood goes
throgh that. .t gets oxygenated
and goes to and fro' the rest of
the body bt lea#es the heart
ot of the loop. There%s special
tbesAlike a road!orks
di#ersion.%
90o thereis =st an e'pty
chest?Oh 2Oh, 'y poor little
angel! ,o! do they do it, ('y?
,o! do they pt the ne! heart
in exactly the right place?%
9.t%s actally 1ite
straightfor!ard,% ('y told her.
9,onestly! .t takes ages
becase they ha#e to stitch
e#erything into place #ery
careflly bt it%s a 'atter of
=oining p all the arteries and
#eins.%
.t !as too 'ch infor'ation for
+arcella. 0he needed to go and
call on e#ery saint she cold
think of to look after her 9angel%.
&osa !anted to kno!, ho!e#er.
90o ho! do they =oin the'?
Like darning the' on fro' the
otside?%
9*o. They ct the donor heart
open and the first thing they do
is stitch the pl'onary #ein and
arteries into place. They%re the
ones that take blood fro' the
heart to the lngs and then
back to the heart again. They
ha#e to =oin in the aorta !hich
is the big #essel that takes
blood to the rest of the body,
and the big #eins that bring the
blood back to the heart again.%
9.sn%t there a danger of things
leaking?%
9The stitches are 'icroscopic
Athat%s !hy it takes so long.
(nd they se a special gle
stff on the stre lines, as
!ell. .t%s not likely that there%ll
be a leak bt they ha#e all sorts
of special catheters in place
after!ards and can 'easre
exact pressres in the heart so
they kno! if there is a proble'
and it%s easy enogh to go back
in and fix it.%
9"oes the ne! heart =st start
by itself? When it gets blood
inside it?%
90o'eti'es.%
9What do they do if it doesn%t
start by itself?%
9They ha#e a special
defibrillator that can be sed
right on the heart. Tiny little
paddles that only gi#e a #ery
s'all shock.%
9,o! long !ill it take?%
9,ors. .%ll call or text any ne!s
. get.%
9OK. ;o take care of yorself,
too, ('y. +ake sre yo get
so'e rest. Oh, +a''a !ants to
talk to yo agA%
The phone see'ed to ha#e
been !renched fro' her
sister%s hand. 9('y? Will it
!ork?% +arcella de'anded
tearflly. 9Will 'y littleangelo
get throgh this? . can%t belie#e
.%' not there to be beside her
bed. To pray for her.%
9. kno!. .%' sorry, +a''a. .
!ant yo to be here, too, bt
this !as a gift that coldn%t !ait
and it 'ight not happen again.%
9Why aren%tyo there?%
9. ca'e ho'e for a bit =st to
check e#erything !as all right.
(nd it is. Boe%s being a star and
yo !on%t belie#e ho! 'ch
&obert%s gro!n p !hile yo%#e
been a!ay. ,e really is the 'an
of the hose at the 'o'ent,
+a''a. ;o%ll be so prod of
hi'.%
0he cold hear &osa 'aking
soothing noises and then her
sister took the phone back.
9.t%s OK, .%ll look after her. (re
yo going back to the hospital
no!?%
97ery soon. .%ll be there for her
!hen she co'es ot of
Theatre.%
9Will she !ake p then?%
9*o. . think they keep the' !ell
sedated for a day or t!o. On life
spport. Tell +a''a it%s 1ite
possibleshe%ll be able to be !ith
0''er !hen she does !ake
p.%

.t !as nearly da!n on
/hrist'as 3#e !hen 0''er
left the reco#ery area and !as
taken back to isolation in the
intensi#e care nit, al'ost
in#isible in the 'idst of the
bank of life<spport 'achinery.
0he !as on a #entilator,
calibrated bottles hng fro'
her bed for chest and rine
drainage and tbes snaked into
her skin in #arios places,
allo!ing ad'inistration of
drgs and 'onitoring of her
blood pressres and oxygen
le#els. 3lectrodes !ere in place
for continos 'onitoring of
the rhyth' of her ne! heart.
3'ergency gear clttered
trolleys. 31ip'ent for sction,
dressings, a pace'aker if it !as
needed and a defibrillator for a
!orst<case scenario of cardiac
arrest. There !ere people
e#ery!here. 5o!ned and
'asked in accordance !ith
isolation protocols that !old
protect 0''er fro' infection.
,er cardiologist and her
srgeon and his registrar. The
./4 consltant and her
registrars. *rses and
technicians.
(nd ('y, thogh not for long.
.t !as o#er!hel'ing. -oth the
le#el of care 0''er !old
need for the next t!enty<for
hors or so and the fact that the
procedre had been
prononced sccessfl.
Textbook perfect, in fact.
0''er had a ne! heart. .t
!as 1ite possible she !as
going to li#e for a long ti'e.
Long enogh to experience all
the =oys life cold offer becase
she !old be able to do all the
things that nor'al, healthy
children took for granted. To
rn and play. To go to school.
To look for!ard to her birthdays
and /hrist'ases to co'e.
On top of the anxiety for the
period of reco#ery, gratitde
that a donor organ had beco'e
a#ailable and relief that the
srgery had gone so !ell, ('y
hadn%t slept for 'ore than
t!enty<for hors and had only
had a restless fe! hors before
that.
(nd, =st to top that off, she
had experienced the 'ost
e'otional, intense lo#e<'aking
she had e#er kno!n, becase
she had been !ith the 'an she
lo#ed.
(nd !old lo#e, for the rest of
her life.
.t !as all too 'ch and if ('y
didn%t get ho'e and sleep for a
fe! hors, she !old si'ply
collapse. 0he had already rng
+arcella and &osa and gi#en
the' the good ne!s. 0he !old
tell the other children !hen
they !oke p, !hich hopeflly
!oldn%t be for a little !hile. .f
she let +arco and (ngelo cli'b
into bed !ith her for a cddle,
she 'ight get an extra hor%s
rest.
There !old be ti'e after that
to thank Lke. .t !as far too
soon to conte'plate saying
anything 'ore. ,inting abot
ho! she felt, for exa'ple. 0he
had done that !ith her body, in
any case. *o! she had to !ait
to see if the 'essage !as one
that !old be !elco'ed.
4ntil then, she coldn%t afford
to think any frther ahead. 0he
!oldn%t begin to !orry abot
the disparity of their
backgronds or the !ay they
#ie!ed life or the hge obstacle
Lke%s grand'other
represented.
Thanking hi' !as enogh for
no!.
$or !hat he%d done for
0''er2and for her.
$or si'ply beinghi' .

Lke sa! ('y lea#e.
,e !as deep in con#ersation
!ith the other consltants,
talking abot #entriclar
fnction and !edge pressres
and !hen they cold start
thinking abot !eaning
0''er fro' the #entilation,
bt he had sensed ('y%s
departre.
,e tried to catch her ga)e, to
signal that he !anted to talk to
her, bt her focs !as still on
0''er as she slipped fro'
the nit.
Things !ere !ell nder control
here. Lke had done his part
and it had all gone extre'ely
!ell. (s close to a perfect
procedre as anyone cold
ha#e !ished. ('y kne! that.
,e%d seen the relief on her face
!hen he%d pshed open the
doors of the theatre,
acco'panying 0''er to the
reco#ery area, and had pased
to tell ('y ho! happy he !as
!ith the !ay it had gone. ,e%d
seen tears on her cheeks and
had had to resist the strongest
rge to brsh the' a!ay
hi'self. ,e coldn%t, of corse,
not !ith a do)en colleages so
close and a child that needed
intensi#e 'onitoring for hors
yet.
The chance to share 'ore than
those fe! !ords hadn%t co'e
again bt Lke hadn%t pshed
it. ,e !anted their next
con#ersation to be pri#ate. *o
distractions, so he cold see
the effect of !hat he had to tell
her.
That her /hrist'as gift !old
be the hose. ,e !old instrct
&eginald -attersby to do
!hate#er necessary to o#errle
his father%s !ill and pt the
hose into the o!nership of the
6hillips fa'ily.
,e cold catch her no!,
coldn%t he? There !as nothing
'ore he cold do here than
!atch and !ait, to keep in close
toch !ith the consltants no!
responsible for 0''er and to
keep hi'self a#ailable in the
nlikely e#ent of a co'plication
that needed srgical
inter#ention.
.f he hrried, he cold catch p
!ith ('y. ,e%d ha#e to grab his
coat, !hich !old look a little
odd o#er his scrbs and !hite
g'boots, bt if he ran, he
cold probably close the
distance before ('y reached
the park. (nd ho! 'any people
!old be ot and abot this
early on /hrist'as 3#e?
Way too 'any people, it
see'ed. The traffic !as hea#y
and e#erybody stared at the
!hite g'boots beneath Lke%s
long, black coat. ,e hadn%t
bothered to grab his scarf or
glo#es and the first flrry of
sno! !as finally starting to fall.
,is hands !ere fro)en by the
ti'e he !as striding rapidly
thogh &egent%s 6ark. :st
short of rnning, so he didn%t
alar' too 'any people. ,e
stck his hands in his pockets
and he cold feel so'ething
he%d forgotten for the 'o'ent.
The photograph.
,e plled it ot as he !alked,
shaking his head at ho!
ncharacteristic a thing it had
been to doAto steal this ite'.
3xcept, it !as his, !asn%t itA
fro' a 'oral point of #ie!?
The first, and only, inkling he%d
had that he had been concei#ed
and born !ith lo#e. 0rronded
by it !hen he had been too
yong to re'e'ber.
6ossibly not too yong. "id his
sol re'e'ber? Was that !hy it
recognised that !hat he%d
fond !ith ('y !as so
precios?
0o'ething he coldn%t afford
to lose?
Lke increased his pace, !hich
had nconsciosly slo!ed as
he%d looked at the photograph,
bt he%d been frther behind
('y than he%d realised. 0he
!as abot to lea#e the park and
start do!n 0lli#an (#e. 0he
!old be at her hose in less
than a 'inte.
The hose she didn%t kno! !as
really going to be hers.
9('y!%
0he trned, sa! Lke and
stopped dead in her tracks.
Took in the !hite g'boots and
the flash of pale ble scrbs
that !ere sho!ing !ith his coat
flapping. ,e cold see the !ay
her face paled and her glo#ed
hand toched her chest o#er
her heart.
0he thoght he !as chasing
her to tell her so'ething
dreadfl.
That 0''er had died?
9.t%s all right,% Lke called. 9.
=st need to talk to yo.%
0he !as still afraid and Lke
!anted to take her into his
ar's. (s he closed the distance
bet!een the', he beca'e
a!are of a lod sond behind
hi'. ( siren that !as co'ing
rapidly closer.
:st as he reached ('y, the
fire engine passed the'. 0o
close it !as ato'atic to grab
('y and pll her frther onto
the safety of the footpath. The
siren !as s!itched off bt the
beacons !ere still flashing.
0no! !as falling 'ore thickly
no! and the dense grey !hite
of the sky and sno!flakes
reflected the bright colors of
the beacons, 'aking the'
see' t!ice as bright. T!ice as
rgent.
The hge #ehicle had stopped
=st do!n the street and
another ca'e arond the
corner, also silencing its siren
the !ay they did !hen they
reached their destination and
no longer had to !arn traffic to
'o#e. -oth Lke and ('y
!atched as fire'en in boots
and hel'ets and fire<retardant
clothing ='ped fro' the
#ehicles. Lke let go of ('y%s
sholders and so'eho! her
hand slipped into his.
( fire hydrant !as being
opened and hoses nrolledAall
in the space of seconds. 0o'e
of the fire'en !ere !earing
breathing apparats, !ith
'asks on their faces and
oxygen cylinders in packs on
their backs.
9Oh, 'y 5od,% ('y said.
90o'ething 'st actally be on
fire.%
They started 'o#ing, dra!n
to!ards the #ehicles, as !ere
other people !ho had started to
gather on the footpath.
9.t%s close to or hose,% ('y
noted. ( heartbeat later, she
gasped. 9.tis or hose! Oh2
Lca!%
,e still had hold of her hand.
They both began to rn.
/,(6T3& *.*3
90T(;ot,% a fire'an ordered.
9;o can%t go in there.%
9.t%s 'y hose,% ('y shoted.
9There arechildren in there!%
9We%ll get the' ot. 0tay back!%
There !as s'oke poring
throgh a broken !indo! in the
dra!ing roo' bt there !as no
sign of any fla'es or s'oke
fro' pstairs. ( fire'an lifted
an axe to break open the front
door.
9*o!%The cry !as one of
despair. This looked like an
exection. ,er hose !as being
sacrificed, !hich !oldn%t ha#e
'attered a da'n if it affected
the safety of her children, bt it
!asn%t necessary. 9"on%t do
that! 6lease. .%#e got a key.%
9,rry p, then.%
('y f'bled !ith the key.
Lke !as right beside her and
he took it fro' her hand, slid it
into the lock and pshed the
door open.
,eat and s'oke billo!ed ot
and ('y felt it scorch her
throat. ,er eyes stng and
!atered and she started
coghing.
9Oi!% 0o'eone sonded frios
bt she coldn%t see throgh
the s'oke. &ogh hands
grabbed her ar's and she !as
plled back!ards and then
trned to!ards !here an
a'blance !as backing
to!ards the scene, its beacons
flashing.
('y craned her neck, blinking.
The first rsh of s'oke throgh
the front door had lessened and
it didn%t look nearly as bad as it
had. ,oses !ere being nrolled
and carried into her hose.
Where !as Lke?
9+ad bastard,% she heard
so'eone shot. 9We coldn%t
stop hi'.%
('y%s heart did a pecliar kind
of so'ersalt. ,ad Lke gone
in there hi'self? Why? There
!ere fire'en here !ith safety
e1ip'ent. Lke had to be
risking his life to go inside the
hose. ,ad instinct o#erridden
co''on sense? Was he doing
it forher fa'ily?
$orher ?
9What?% (nother 'an !as
!earing a florescent =erkin
!ith the !ords 90cene
/o''ander% in bold, black
letters. 95et hi' ot.%
The back doors of the
a'blance !ere flng open. (
para'edic rged ('y to cli'b
the steps.
9Let%s gi#e yo a bit of oxygen,%
the yong !o'an said. 9;o%#e
inhaled a good dose of s'oke.%
-t ('y shook her head. 0he
=st had an irritated throat,
!hich !as 'aking her cogh if
she tried to take a deep breath.
*o big deal, and she !asn%t
going any!here she coldn%t
see her front door. 0he didn%t
need to breathe deeply at the
'o'ent. 0he coldn%t. *ot ntil
she sa! e#eryone she lo#ed
co'ing ot of that door safely.
.nclding Lca.
3specially Lca.
The first figres ca'e throgh
the s'oke and then into the
no! thickly s!irling sno!. -are
feet and py=a'as. &obert !as
holding Kyra%s hand and right
behind hi' ca'e a fire'an !ith
a t!in nder each ar'. +arco
and (ngelo !ere shrieking !ith
fright.
They all ca'e to!ards ('y. (
second a'blance !as plling
p and there see'ed to be
people e#ery!here, holding
blankets and oxygen cylinders.
9Bietta2('y2% +arco !as
coghing and sobbing, holding
his ar's ot.
9+i! +e, too!% (ngelo 'ade an
identical pictre and already the
distressed boys !ere shi#ering
ncontrollably.
('y fond herself sitting on
the back steps of the
a'blance !ith a child clinging
on each side. -lankets !ere
!rapped o#er the' all and
para'edics fssed !ith oxygen
'asks and stethoscopes.
&obert !as right beside the
steps, refsing to cli'b into the
second a'blance. Kyra !as
clinging to hi', sharing his
bright red !oollen blanket, and
they both needed to be close to
('y.
There !as still no sign of Lke.
Or Boe or (ndre! or /hantelle.
('y%s heart ponded and then
stopped for a beat as a ne!
figre e'erged. (nother
fire'an, !ith (ndre! in his
ar's. (ndre! !as also crying
and held his ar's ot to ('y.
&obert and Kyra !riggled
closer and her #ie! of the front
door !as co'pletely obscred.
9&obert?% ('y tried to
disentangle herself. 9/an yo
sit here? . need to find
/hantelle and Boe.%
(nd Lke.
9*o!%the t!ins !ailed. 9"on%t go
a!ay, Bietta ('y!%
9.%ll be right back,% ('y
pro'ised. 9;o%re safe no!. -e
bra#e for =st a 'inte or t!o.
/an yo do that for 'e,
darlings?%
&obert to!ered o#er the
yonger children. 9We can do
that.% ,e coghed harshly.
9/an%t !e, gys?%
( chors of assents, coghs
and stifled sobs !as !hat ('y
left as she ran to!ards the
people no! co'ing ot of the
hose.
$or people. T!o fire'en. One
!as carrying /hantelle and the
other had his ar' spporting
Boe. ,e peeled his 'ask fro'
his face.
9The kid had locked herself in
the bathroo',% he said. 9That
bloke got her ot.%
90he !as2too scared2to open
it.% Boe had rnnels of black
eyeliner on her cheeks and
looked a lot yonger than her
sixteen years. 9('y2.%' so
sorry.%
9.t%s not yor falt,% ('y said
fir'ly. 9(nd yo%re all safe,
that%s all that 'atters.%
3xcept they !eren%t all safe,
!ere they?
Where !as Lke?
The fire'an !as ob#iosly
thinking the sa'e thing. ,e
looked o#er his sholder. 9,e
!as spposed to follo! s ot.
Where the hell has he gone
no!?%
('y helped gide /hantelle
to!ards the others. The t!ins
had been persaded to get into
the shelter of the a'blance
and they !ere both cocooned in
red blankets. Wide<eyed, they
stared ot at the scene.
9$ire'en!% +arco said, a!ed.
9(nd police'en!%
9(nd doctors,% (ngelo added,
looking at the nifor' of the
para'edic.
9There%s fla'es,% /hantelle
sobbed. 9Or /hrist'as tree is
brning p.%
/old that ha#e been !hat had
cased the fire? (ll those paper
strea'ers and an open fire not
that far a!ay and a roge draft,
'aybe? -t ('y had checked
the fire careflly. The gard had
been in place. The children all
kne! ho! i'portant it !as to
be carefl not to knock the
gard.
0elf<recri'ination ho#ered bt
the extent of the da'age !as
an nkno!n.
*othing 'aterial 'attered,
any!ay.
Where !as Lke?
9Whereis he?% ('y shoted at
the scene co''ander. 9;o
ha#e to find Lke. +r
,arrington. The 'an !ho !ent
in first2.%
9We%ll find hi'. 5o back to yor
children, lady. They need yo.%
0o does Lca, ('y thoght
desperately.
9$or 5od%s sake,% the 'an
beside her gro!led. 9,e risked
his da'n life for a'tt ?%
9What?% ('y !hirled back to
face the hose and there !as
Lke, st'bling a little !ith a
fire'an on either side of hi',
his ar's fll of a large, li'p<
looking dog.
9+onty!% ('y had co'pletely
forgotten abot the ne!est
'e'ber of their fa'ily. Lke%s
face !as blackened by s'oke
and she cold hear the harsh
rasp of his breathing as he
ca'e closer.
9+onty!% /hildren pored fro'
the back of both a'blances
and cro!ded arond as Lke
laid the dog do!n gently.
Boe !as crying again. 9.s he
dead?%
Lke shook his head. 9Too2
'ch2s'oke.%
90a'e for yo, 'ate. ,ere.% (
para'edic slipped an oxygen
'ask o#er Lke%s face.
9+onty needs one, too.%
&obert%s #oice !as deep. .t had
a ne! edge to it that ('y hadn%t
heard before. ( co''anding
edge. The teenager eyed the
para'edics% raised eyebro!s.
9,e%s not =st a dog, OK? ,e%s
one of s no!.%
Lke had taken as deep a
breath of the oxygen as he
cold. ,e coghed, took
another breath and then slipped
his 'ask off. ,e held it o#er
+onty%s hge black nose.
9,ey!% The para'edic sonded
concerned. 9;o need that 'ore
than the dog.%
-t Lke shook his head and
the para'edic shrgged.
95ess .%ll find another cylinder,
then.%
9(nd a blanket?% /hantelle
pleaded. 9.t%s a!flly cold ot
here.%
( 'inte or t!o later the
children !ere red blobs
croched beside +onty, !ho
!as also co#ered in a red
blanket. Lke%s breathing
sonded al'ost nor'al again
and to e#eryone%s intense relief
+onty !as reco#ering. ,e tried
to get p bt +arco and (ngelo
!ere hgging hi' too tightly so
he ga#e p and th'ped his tail
a cople of ti'es instead.
9Thank goodness,% breathed
('y. 0he trned to thank Lke
for sa#ing the dog, bt he !as
standing beside the scene
co''ander.
9The kitchen see'%s fine,% he
!as saying. 9( lot of s'oke bt
nothing !as brning. The dog
!as still trying to bark and !arn
e#erybody bt he%d lost his
#oice and then he got another
lngfl of s'oke and
collapsed.%
There !ere people all arond.
The n'bers and le#els of
acti#ity had been steadily
increasing bt ('y hadn%t
noticed becase she had been
standing !ith an ar' arond
both /hantelle and Kyra,
!atching for any sign of
+onty%s reco#ery.
9$ire%s ot!% ( fire'an !as
reporting to the scene
co''ander no!. 90tarted in the
'ain roo', by the look of
things, !ith a /hrist'as tree by
the fire.%
9.s the hose strctrally
da'aged?% Lke asked.
9.t !ill need to be properly
assessed and that isn%t likely to
happen today. .t%s ninhabitable
for the 'o'ent, that%s for sre.
0'oke and !ater creates one
hell of a 'ess.%
9What abot the occpants?%
,e sonded so clinical, ('y
thoght !ith dis'ay. 9The
occpants%? 0he !as the
!o'an he%d 'ade lo#e to so
recently and these !ere all
children that had already had
'ore than their fair share of
heartbreak in their li#es.
9The police !ill deal !ith that
side of things,% the scene
co''ander told Lke. 9(nd
0ocial 0er#ices. ;o don%t need
to !orry abot it.%
6ara'edics !ere trying to herd
('y and the children back to
the a'blances.
9We%re taking yo all to the
hospital,% they said. 9;o%ll all
need proper check<ps.%
('y cold hear Lke%s pager
sonding and sa! hi' flip open
his 'obile phone. The thoght
that he 'ight be being
s''oned becase of so'e
co'plication !ith 0''er
added a ne! le#el of anxiety.
0he broke a!ay fro' the
children and hrried to!ards
Lke. Only days ago she
!oldn%t ha#e drea'ed of
interrpting a telephone
con#ersation he !as ha#ing,
bt things had changed.
9.s that abot 0''er?%
,e ga#e his head a crt shake.
9.%ll be there as soon as . can.
.%' fi#e 'intes a!ay.% ,e
snapped the phone sht.
9.s 0''er all right?% ('y
asked. 9. need to get back to her
bt .%ll ha#e to go !ith the
others. They%re taking the' to
hospital, hopeflly Li))ie%s,
seeing as it%s the closest, btA%
-t Lke !as looking do!n at
hi'self rather than at ('y. The
!hite g'boots !ere black and
the scrb pants !et and filthy
fro' the knees do!n. 9.%ll ha#e
to get changed,% Lke said. 9.
can%t appear in ./4 and talk to
Lia'%s parents looking like this,
can .?%
9+iss 6hillips?% ( police'an
approached the'. 9/an . talk to
yo, please? We need na'es
and details for all the children
in#ol#ed here. (nd does this
belong to yo?%
.t !as ('y%s red tote bag that
she 'st ha#e dropped ages
ago !hen they had been
rnning to!ards the hose.
9;es, it%s 'ine.% 0he al'ost
didn%t !ant to clai' it, kno!ing
that her cellphone !as in there.
(nd that she !as going to ha#e
to call her 'other and tell her
abot this disaster.
9. ha#e to go,% Lke said.
96lease2check on 0''er?
.%ll be there as soon as . can.%
('y !as being torn in too
'any directions and she !as
close to tears. 0he !anted to be
!ith the children. To be !ith
0''er.
To be !ith Lke.
9Of corse,% he said.
9(nd2and thank yo.%
9*o need. (nyone !old ha#e
done !hat . did.%
*o, ('y thoght, !atching hi'
stride a!ay, dis'issing a
para'edic%s rene!ed attention
!ith a !a#e of his hand to
indicate he needed no frther
attention. *ot e#eryone !old
risk the'sel#es to sa#e other
people%s children, let alone their
dog.
3#en fe!er people !old brsh
off the chance to be seen as a
hero. Or to get in#ol#ed !ith the
people that had been resced.
+aybe Lke didn%t !ant to be
in#ol#ed. With any of the'.
('y trned to look at the
hose. ,er ho'e. The front
door stood open, sno! s!irling
in to land in pddles in the
hall!ay. Windo!s !ere
blackened and broken and the
reek of hot ti'ber and sodden
ash !as e#ery!here. (
police'an !as ptting tape
across the gate to forbid entry.
0he and the children !ere no!
officially ho'eless. Their
clothing, toys and /hrist'as
presents !ere being closed off
fro' being clai'ed. +aybe
those gifts had been destroyed.
They !ere nder 4ncle 7anni%s
bed and his roo' !as right
beside the dra!ing roo' !here
the fire had started.
The engines of the a'blances
!ere rnning and they !ere
abot to all be taken a!ay. ('y
!old ha#e to start ans!ering
1estions abot the children.
Who they !ere and !hy they
!ere in the hose and !hy the
le#el of sper#ision had clearly
been inade1ate.
(nother child !ho needed her
lay in the intensi#e care nit,
fighting for her life, and the only
other adlt 'e'bers of her
fa'ily !ere still t!enty<for
hors a!ay.
('y had ne#er felt 'ore alone.
Lke had #anished throgh the
cro!d of onlookers,
pres'ably intent on getting
back to Li))ie%s and his !ork as
soon as possible. ,e hadn%t
looked as thogh he !old
ha#e preferred to stay and help.
,e had looked al'ost relie#ed.
(nd !hy not? ,e had got !hat
he%d !anted all along, hadn%t
he?
The hose !as, at least
partially, destroyed. The
athorities !ere going to 'ake
sre that ('y and children
coldn%t retrn in the near
ftre. .t !as possible that e#en
'inor strctral da'age fro'
the fire !old be enogh to tip
the balance and ha#e the hose
conde'ned.
With da!ning horror, ('y took
in the i'plications.
.t !as the day before
/hrist'as and she and her
fa'ily !ere ho'eless.
/,(6T3& T3*
90O W,3&3are yo going to
go? ,a#e yo got fa'ily in
London?%
('y tried to s'ile at the yong
constable becase he !as only
trying to be helpfl, bt her
ability to s'ile see'ed to ha#e
deserted her. .t =st 'ade her
lips !obble.
9*o,% she said. 9+y 'other and
sister are in .taly ntil
to'orro!. +y only other fa'ily
is 'y grand'other and they%re
bringing her back !ith the'.%
9We%ll ha#e to get 0ocial
0er#ices to organise place'ent
for all the children, then.%
9*o. 6lease, don%t do that. We
need to be together for
/hrist'as. .sn%t there any !ay
at all !e cold go back to or
hose? .f !e stayed ot of the
da'aged roo's?%
9;o%ll be shocked !hen yo
see ho! 'ch da'age gets
done by thosands of gallons
of !ater being sprayed
e#ery!here. The place is
satrated and the electricity
and gas are sht off. There%ll be
no !ay of heating it and yo%d
all free)e.%
9What abot getting or
clothes? /hrist'as presents?%
9They%re probably all !et.
0tinking of s'oke, any!ay.
Look, .%' really sorry bt
there%s no !ay any of yo !ill
be going back to that hose for
the next fe! days.%
+aybe ne#er, his expression
said.
90o yo%#e all got to go
so'e!here. ;o can%t stay
here.%
They coldn%t. They%d already
been in the e'ergency
depart'ent of 0t 3li)abeth%s for
hors. The children had all
been gi#en thorogh physical
check<ps. They%d been gi#en
lnch. They !ere all in clean,
dry hospital py=a'as and still
had the red a'blance blankets
for extra !ar'th. ,a#ing been
allocated a relati#es% !aiting
roo' and pro#ided !ith toys,
books and "7"s, they had also
been #isited by /laireAa kind,
'iddle<aged !o'an fro'
0ocial 0er#ices.
/laire ca'e into the office
!here ('y !as talking to the
police constable.
9They%re all happy,% she told
('y. 93xcept that Boe !asn%t
too pleased at being collected
by her 'other. They !anted to
kno! ho! +onty !as getting on
so . rang the #et. ,e%s fine.%
9Oh, that%s good ne!s!%
9The clinic%s not far fro' here
and he can be collected any
ti'e. The children are also
asking if they can #isit
0''er.%
9*ot today.% ('y shook her
head. 0he had been able to
spend so'e ti'e in the
intensi#e care nit herself !hile
the children !ere being
assessed, and !hile 0''er
!as doing brilliantly, she !as
still sedated and on a #entilator.
.t !old be distressing for the
other children to see her like
that. ('y had !anted to find
ot !hen the life spport !old
be dee'ed nnecessary bt the
./4 consltants !ere bsy !ith
a ne! arri#al and 0''er%s
srgeon had been no!here to
be seen.
9"id yo get throgh to yor
'other and sister?%
('y nodded this ti'e. That
con#ersation had been
dreadfl. &osa had panicked
abot her sons and +arcella
had cried !ith despair.
9"id they ha#e any ideas abot
!here yo can all stay for a fe!
days?%
.nspiration strck ('y. 9We%ll
go to a hotel,% she said.
9/an yo afford that?%
9;es.% .t !as a bill that !oldn%t
need to be paid ntil they left,
!asn%t it? 0rely the hose !as
insred.
9,a#e yo checked a#ailability?
.t%s not a good ti'e of year to
be looking for last<'inte
acco''odation. We do ha#e
foster<parents a#ailable.%
9We need to stay together,%
('y said stbbornly. 9We%ll
'anage.%
9What abot clothes? ;o%ll
need to go shopping. ;o%ll
need help !ith babysitting.
There%s 'eals to consider.%
/laire !as looking 'ore and
'ore dobtfl. 0he also looked
as thogh she !as gearing
herself p to do her dty,
ho!e#er npleasant the
repercssions 'ight be.
9. kno! these children !ill be
#ery pset if they%re separated,%
she began, 9bt . really can%t
see any !ay arond this.%
The office door opened as she
spoke. Lke !as back in his
pinstriped sit. (n athoritati#e
figre that 'anaged to take
control before ttering a !ord.
9. need to talk to ('y for a
'o'ent. 3xcse s, please.%

0he looked dreadfl.
(s thogh this !as the end of
the !orld.
(nd, in a !ay, it !as.
.n an astonishingly short space
of ti'e ('y%s !orld had
disintegrated. -ecase of one
fa'ily crisis, she had been left
responsible for her ho'e and
the !elfare of a large grop of
children. *o! her ho'e !as
da'aged, possibly beyond
repair, one of those children
!as critically ill and the others
!ere in danger of being split p
and ha#ing to spend /hrist'as
in a foreign en#iron'ent, a!ay
fro' anyone !ho kne! and
lo#ed the'.
('y looked pale and !orried
bt there !as no air of being
defeated, and Lke fond that
i''ensely ad'irable. There
!as no sggestion of
accsation in her face, either,
bt Lke coldn%t help a t!inge
of gilt, e#en thogh it had
been prely coincidence that
the disintegration of ('y%s
!orld had accelerated fro' the
'o'ent he had stepped into
her life.
,e had already decided not to
e#ict the fa'ily prior to
/hrist'as. (t all, in fact. *ot
that he%d been able to tell ('y
of his decision to hand o#er the
hose. .t had hardly been the
ti'e !hen they%d seen that the
hose in 1estion !as on fire
and the li#es of its inhabitants
in danger. (nd there hadn%t
been a chance since.
The syste' had enclosed the'
all. Lke had been =ggling his
patient co''it'ents,
'onitoring 0''er%s condition
and had had inter#ie!s !ith
both the police and that !o'an
fro' 0ocial 0er#ices.
0he had asked ho! 'ch he
kne! abot the 6hillips fa'ily.
9:st ho! !ell are these
children being cared for?%
9They ha#e e#erything they
need,% he had responded.
9Things are difficlt at present
!ith ('y%s 'other being a!ay
and the hose 'ight not be in
perfect condition bt these
children are !ar' and !ell fed
and2they%re lo#ed.%
9They do see' happy,% /laire
had 'sed. 9(nd #ery close to
each other. That oldest boy,
&obert, is deter'ined that
they%re going to stay together.%
9,a#e yo spoken to ('y yet?%
9*ot properly. .%ll do that soon,
!hen .%#e had a chance to
decide !hat !e need to do.%
Lke looked at the !ay ('y
!as standing tall in front of hi'
no!, her chin raised and
deter'ination lrking in
anxios eyes, and he kne!
/laire !old find her e#en 'ore
deter'ined than &obert to keep
the fa'ily together.
.t re'inded hi' of their first
enconter. ,ad it really been
only t!o days ago that she%d
tried to sht the door in his
face? 0he had de'onstrated
ho! fiercely she !as prepared
to fight for her fa'ily.
0he%d do anything, she%d said.
(nything.
The !ord had been echoing in
the back of Lke%s 'ind !ith
increasing intensity. ,is notion
of gifting her the hose and
=dging by her reaction !hether
her lo#e<'aking had been as
genine as it had see'ed !as
pointless no!. The hose !as
da'aged and ninhabitable.
0ch a gift 'ight e#en be seen
as inslting.
0o, a'ongst all the other
dties that had kept hi'
rnning, physically and
'entally, for the last fe! hors,
Lke had decided on another
approach.
One that !as ot of character
enogh to be 'aking hi'
ner#os.
7ery ner#os.
*ot only !as he going to listen
to his heart properly for the first
ti'e in his life, he !as going to
act on !hat it told hi' e#en if it
!ent against !hat !as
ob#iosly 'ore rational.
(t least, he !old, depending
on the ans!er ('y pro#ided to
the 1estion he !as abot to
ask.
9;o said yo%d do anything to
sa#e yor hose, didn%t yo?%
9;es.% ('y%s s'ile !as !ry.
9.t%s a bit late no! to pt 'y
plan into action, thogh, isn%t
it?%
.t !asn%t too late forhis plan,
thogh.
9When yo said anything?%
he asked softly. 9"id that
inclde !hat happened last
night?%
The play of e'otions on ('y%s
face !as so clear Lke cold
actally feel the e'otions they
represented. ,er first reaction
!as confsion. What had
happened last night of sch
significance? ( fro!n of anxiety
appeared. 0''er%s
transplant? *o. ('y coldn%t
see the connection bet!een
0''er%s srgery and the
hose. What else had
happened?
('y%s expression softened.
,er eyes darkened and her lips
parted and Lke cold seeA
feelAthe 'e'ory of their ti'e
together. ( ti'e that had no
connection to anything else
becase it had been si'ply
theirs.
That it had been difficlt for
('y to 'ake a connection !as
all the ans!er Lke really
needed.
-t,9*o,% ('y !hispered. 9*o,
no, no!%
Lke dre! in a carefl breath.
9(re yo still prepared to do
anything? To keep the children
together and safe for
/hrist'as?%
9Of corse.% ('y looked
p))led no!. ,er ga)e !as
fixed on hi'. 0he didn%t
nderstand. Their i''ediate
ftre !as abot to be dictated
by social athorities !ho had
'ore clot than Lke did in
sch 'atters. ,o! cold he be
in any position to sggest an
alternati#e?
9What do yo !ant 'e to do?%
Lke%s s'ile !as crooked.
9Trst 'e.%

.t !as the strangest 'eeting
('y had e#er attended and it
!as =st as !ell that inpt fro'
her didn%t appear to be
re1ired.
"a)ed by the e#ents and
e'otional tr'oil of the last
fe! days, she sat on a coch in
the relati#es% !aiting roo' !ith
the t!ins on her lap, a girl
cddled close on each side and
t!o older boys flanking the
ar's of the coch like sentries,
!atching and listening !hile
/laire asked the 1estions she
shold ha#e asked Lke
herself.
9What arrange'ents? What on
earth are yo planning to do
!ith six children?%
9.t%s all in hand,% !as all Lke
see'ed prepared to say. 9.%'
taking fll responsibility for this
fa'ily.%
9Who did yo say yo !ere
again?%
9Lke ,arrington. ,ead of the
cardiothoracic srgical
depart'ent here at 0t
3li)abeth%s.%
9*o.% /laire sonded faintly
be!ildered. 9That other na'e
yo said.%
9On 'y birth certificate? Lca
+oretti.%
The !ay he said the na'e sent
a crl of so'ething #ery
poignant throgh ('y. ,ad he
noticed he%d said it !ith an
.talian accent?
,e%d been lost for a #ery long
ti'e, this 'an, and the thoght
'ade her heart s1ee)e tightly.
0he lo#ed hi'.
0he trsted hi'.
+ore than /laire did, it
see'ed.
9. still don%t nderstand. .t all
see's terribly co'plicated and
rather irreglar.%
9Let 'e 'ake it easy for yo.%
The soothing note in Lke%s
#oice had probably cal'ed
'any anxios parents in the
past. 9+y fatherAsadly
deceasedAo!ned the hose
('y and the children li#e in. .
inherited it. -ecase of that, .%'
taking fll responsibility for the
inhabitants of that hose.%
Was that the only reason he
!anted to help? 0o'e kind of
gilt trip? ('y bit her lip to
dri#e back !eary tears and she
cddled the t!ins closer.
0he trsted hi'. 0he needed to
hang on to that.
+arco obligingly t!isted in his
half of her lap and !ond his
ar's arond her neck. 9. lo#e
yo, Bietta ('y.%
9. lo#e yo, too,% she !hispered
back.
Lke !as speaking 'ore
forceflly no!. ,e !as not
abot to allo! a social !orker
to disrpt arrange'ents he had
'ade. Whate#er they !ere.
9.%ll sign !hate#er for's are
necessary. .t%s getting late and
it%s /hrist'as 3#e. .%' sre
!e%#e both got better things to
do than stand here debating
this isse.%
/laire glanced at her !atch and
ga#e in !ith a sigh. 97ery !ell.
-t . 'st insist on kno!ing
!here yo intend taking these
children.%
Lke didn%t look at ('y to seek
her appro#al.
9,arrington +anor,% !as all he
said. 9.n ,arrington #illage.
(bot an hor%s dri#e fro'
London.%
/laire 'ade a final atte'pt at
regaining so'e for' of control.
9('y? ,o! do yo feel abot
all this? (re yo happy to go
!ith +r ,arrington?%
The thoght of being taken so
far a!ay fro' 0''er !as
'ore than a !orry. .t !as
nacceptable. The thoght of
being in the sa'e hose as the
old !o'an !ho had looked at
('y as thogh she !asn%t fit to
scrb her floors al'ost 'ade
her gasp !ith incredlity. .t !as
i'possible!
-t s'all ar's !ere tightening
arond her neck and the
children !ere all staring at her.
Gestioning this ne! trn in
their li#es. &eady to stand by
her and refse to co<operate if
she didn%t think it !as a good
idea. Trsting her to keep the'
safe.
('y stared at Lke. 0he had
no choice here. 0hehad to trst
hi'.
,e 'et her ga)e !ithot
s'iling and his eyes reiterated
the !ords he had spoken in the
corridor.
Trst 'e.
('y trned back to /laire.
9;es,% she said cal'ly. 9.%'
happy. We%ll all go to ,arrington
+anor.%
One step at a ti'e, she
re'inded herself. (ll she cold
do !as to keep things together
as 'ch as possible for as long
as possible.
(nd hope for a 'iracle.

.t took t!o taxis to ferry the'
all to ,arrington +anor.
Lke follo!ed in his o!n car.
9.%ll need to co'e back,% he
explained as ('y prepared to
cli'b into the first taxi !here
the t!ins and /hantelle !ere
!aiting. 90''er%s de to ha#e
her drains re'o#ed and !e%re
thinking of lightening her
sedation. 0he 'ay be ready to
co'e off the #entilator.%
Which 'eant she cold !ake
p. 0oon.
9. need to be there,% ('y said,
9!hen she !akes p.%
Lke nodded. 9;o%ll be able to
co'e back. ( car and chaffer
!ill be a#ailable. . thoght
yo%d !ant to go !ith the
children initially.%
( chaffer? *ot Lke? Why
!as he co'ing back !ith the'
no!, then?
"id his grand'other not kno!
they !ere co'ing? (bot to
descend en 'asse on a ho'e
that both 4ncle 7anni and her
father had been threatened !ith
prosection for trespass if they
tried to enter?
Oh2Lord!
0no! !as falling 'ore thickly
and daylight !as #irtally gone
by the ti'e the s'all entorage
finally escaped the city li'its.
Lke%s car had taken so'e ti'e
to catch p !ith the taxis bt
the three #ehicles !ere together
as they left the 'otor!ay and
trned onto 'ore rral roads.
9(re !e lost?% /hantelle asked.
9*o !ay, darling.% The dri#er of
the black cab !as en=oying
!hat !old probably trn ot to
be his biggest fare e#er. 9.%#e
got 560 in this baby. *o !ay
!e can get lost.%
9What%s 560?%
9.t 'eans !e%re being tracked
fro' p in space,% ('y tried to
explain. 9That little screen on
the dashboard is telling or
dri#er exactly !here !e are and
!here !e need to go.%
90pace?% +arco sonded
p))led.
90pa)iale. Where the stars are.%
The children peered fro' the
!indo!s of the taxi bt all they
cold see !as the s!irl of
sno!flakes in the headlights of
the s'all line of cars.
9Will $ather /hrist'as find s
!hen it%s sno!ing?% /hantelle
asked. 9,o! !ill he kno! !here
!e%#e gone?%
9+aybe he%s got 560 these
days, too.% The cab dri#er
chckled. Then he glanced in
his rear<#ie! 'irror and sa!
the expression on the little
girl%s face. 9,ey, 0anta co'es
fro' a #ery sno!y place. .t%s no
proble'.%
('y had so'ething ne! to
!orry abot no!. The fe!
presents tcked a!ay for the
children !ere lost. 0hops 'ight
be open ntil late tonight bt
!ith the ti'e it !old take to
tra#el back to the city and the
ti'e she needed to spend !ith
0''er, ho! cold she
'anage to fit any shopping in?
,o! on earth cold she do
anything abot gi#ing these
children any kind of /hrist'as
srprises?
Wold Lke%s grand'other
e#en ha#e a tree?
The prospect began to appear
nlikely. ,ge iron gates s!ng
open a short ti'e later,
pres'ably becase Lke had
a re'ote control in his car.
0no! !as piling p in drifts on
either side of the long dri#e!ay
and it !as settling onto bare
branches of the 'assi#e old
trees that ga#e the i'pression
of a gard of honor.
The hose !as enor'os and
dark and forbidding. 3#en
('y%s taxi dri#er fell silent as
they parked at the base of se'i<
circlar stone steps that had
hge lions on pillars at each
side.
Lke got ot of his car and
ca'e to ('y%s taxi.
90tay here for =st a 'inte or
t!o,% he instrcted. 9.%ll be
back.%
('y cddled the children close
and tried to banish her sense of
foreboding as the hea#y front
door opened and the hose
s!allo!ed Lke.

.f Lke had thoght his
grand'other ner#os in his
office yesterday, he had to
consider her alar'ed no!. 0he
!as standing near the hge fire
in the library. -eside a s'all
table !ith spindly legs on !hich
a decanter of sherry and s'all
crystal glasses stood on a
sil#er tray.
9Whate#er%s going on, Lke?
What are all those taxis doing
otside?%
9We ha#e #isitors.%
The hosekeeper, 3laine,
closely follo!ed by her
hsband ,enry, hrried throgh
the door.
9.s e#erything all right, Lady
,arrington?%
9That%s !hat .%' trying to find
ot 'yself. Lke?%
9We ha#e #isitors,
5rand'other. $or /hrist'as.%
9. beg yor pardon?%
9,enry said they look like
children,% 3laine reported. 9,e
!as !atching fro' the
garages.%
,enry looked at his feet. Lke
looked at his grand'other =st
as steadily. 9They are children,%
he said. 9There are six of the'
and they range in age fro'
abot six to forteen.%
9Oh,'y !% 3laine breathed.
9(re these the children . !as
trying to discss !ith yo
yesterday, Lke? .f so, . can
'ake arrange'ents. They don%t
e#en need to get ot of the
cabs. Let 'e call Lcy andA%
9*o. . !ill not allo! that.%
,is grand'other flttered a
hand, looking shocked.
9There !as a fire this 'orning,%
Lke contined. 9The hose
that is ho'e to these children
!as extensi#ely da'aged. .
ha#e broght the' here for a
reason.%
6rdence sank onto the edge
of an o#erstffed coch. 9. don%t
nderstand.%
93laine?% Lke s'iled at the
hosekeeper. 9/old yo
prepare so'e roo's, please?
(t least for, . !old think.%
9-t2% 3laine looked at her
e'ployer, bt 6rdence had
closed her eyes.
9They%rechildren 2% The !ord
!as slightly a!ed.
9;o%re good !ith children,
3laine. +aybe yo%#e still got
that box of toys so'e!here.
;o kno!, the ones they sed
to keep in the kitchens for 'e?%
( s'ile tgged at 3laine%s
'oth. 9. think . kno! !here it
is. Oh, 'y! /hildren. ,ere for
/hrist'as.% 0he trned a!ay.
9,enry? .%' going to need yor
help. Let%s sort ot so'e linen.%
6rdence opened her eyes and
!aited. Lke sat on the edge of
the coch beside her.
9. kno! this is a shock,% he
began. 9-t things ha#e
happened in the last cople of
days that ha#e 'ade 'e start to
1estion 'y life.%
9This has so'ething to do !ith
that nrse, doesn%t it? The one
yo !ere2ah2%
9Kissing,% Lke spplied. 9,er
na'e is ('y and, yes, it has a
lot to do !ith her, bt that%s
beside the point =st no!.
Look.% ,e fished in the his coat
pocket and broght ot a rather
cr'pled photograph. 9Look at
this.%
9Oh!% 6rdence pt a hand to
her throat and tears sprang
instantly to her eyes. 9/aroline!%
90he !as happy,% Lke said
1ietly. 90he lo#ed 'y father
and, by all acconts, he adored
her. +aybe he !asn%t sitable
bt 'y 'other%s death broke
his heart. Losing his son !as
another tragedy as far as he
!as concerned and it !as one
that he didn%t ha#e to sffer.%
6rdence !as silent.
9,edid sffer,% Lke !ent on.
9(nd if . don%t help his fa'ily
and the children he lo#ed,they
!ill sffer, and that !old be
!rong.%
,e picked p his
grand'other%s hand and held it.
9;o are 'y fa'ily,% he said,
9and . ha#en%t said this for far
too 'any years bt . lo#e yo.
;o did !hat yo thoght !as
right bt yo took so'ething
a!ay fro' 'e. The chance to
kno! 'y father. .t%s so'ething
that . think 'attered a great
deal.%
9.%'2sorry, Lke. .A%
9. kno!.% Lke leaned o#er to
kiss her cheek. 9.%' going to
bring the children in no!.
They%re frightened and cold and
hngry. 6lease, !elco'e the'
becase this is also so'ething
that 'atters a great deal.% ,e
stood p. 9We can%t trn the
clock back bt !e%#e got a
chance here to do so'ething
right. 0o'ething honorable.
"o it for 'e. 6lease?%
9.%ll2try.% 6rdence took a
shaky breath and sat p a little
straighter. 9:st for /hrist'as?%
9:st for /hrist'as,% Lke
agreed.
One step at a ti'e, he told
hi'self as he !ent back to the
!aiting cars. $or hi'self, as
!ell, becase he !as stepping
into alien territory here. (n
e'otional landscape that had
no 'ap.

They trooped inside, silently.
They stood, silently, ga)ing at
the biggest /hrist'as tree ('y
had e#er seen, positioned at the
base of a stair!ay that crled
graceflly p and then di#ided
to for' a 4 that s!ept past an
ncontable n'ber of doors.
( !o'an !ith grey hair in a
bn, holding a pile of linen,
bea'ed do!n at the' before
hrrying throgh one of the
doors.
The tree !as doing its best to
reach the banisters of the 4 so
it had to be at least t!enty feet
tall, and it !as co#ered !ith
thosands of !hite fairy lights
in the for' of tiny icicles that
!ere t!inkling on and off in
se1ence. ( discreet fe!,
gorgeosly !rapped sil#er
parcels lay at its base.
Lke shered the' on. 9/o'e
into the library,% he
co''anded. 9+y grand'other
is !aiting to 'eet yo.%
('y%s 'isgi#ings 'ade her
heart th'p alar'ingly rapidly
bt she stepped for!ard, a t!in
attached to each hand. &obert,
Kyra and (ndre! !ere behind
the' bt /hantelle, her face
shining, skipped ahead. 0he
ca'e to an abrpt halt on
entering the library, ho!e#er,
becase standing in front of a
roaring fire, !ith a forbiddingly
re'ote expression on her face,
!as the !o'an !ho had
dis'issed ('y yesterday !ith
no 'ore than a passing glance.
/hantelle%s 'oth dropped
open.
9(re yo the1een ?%
$or a 'o'ent there !as an
odd silence and /hantelle ga#e
('y a look of trepidation.
90helooks like the 1een,% she
said in a s'all #oice.
9/he?%+arco didn%t nderstand.
9This is 'y grand'other,% Lke
told the children. 9+ynonna ,% he
added to +arco and (ngelo. ,e
s'iled at /hantelle. 9-t she
does look a bit like the 1een,
doesn%t she?%
Lady 6rdence ,arrington
!asn%t s'iling bt the tension
in the roo' eased =st a little.
('y kept her ga)e on Lke,
lo#ing hi' so 'ch for the !ay
he hadn%t let /hantelle feel she
had said so'ething stpid.
93xcse 'e for a 'o'ent,%
Lke said. ,e #anished throgh
the door and the a!k!ard
silence fell again as 6rdence
stared at the !all of silent
children.
9. forgot,% Lke annonced as
he ca'e back throgh the door.
9,e !as asleep on the back seat
of 'y car.%
9+onty!% the t!ins shrieked in
delight.
9Lke!% The tone !as as
shocked as it had been
yesterday !hen 6rdence had
caght her grandson kissing a
nrse in his office. 9What in
hea#en%s na'e are yo thinking
of, bringing adog in here?%
9.t%s +onty.% /hantelle had been
ga)ing at Lady ,arrington as
thogh still con#inced she !as
in the presence of royalty.
9,e%sor dog no!.%
9"ogs belong otside.%
6rdence 'o#ed to psh a
btton on the !all. 9.%' sorry,
Lke, bt this is too 'ch. .
need to call ,enry.%
9/o'e !ith 'e.% Lke offered
his grand'other his ar'. 9We%ll
both talk to hi'. (nd 3laine. We
need so'e hot food and drink
for or #isitors.%
They !ere left alone in the
library for !hat see'ed a #ery
long ti'e. ('y heard 'ted
#oices and 'ore than one door
closing. ( telephone rang, the
fire crackled and a grandfather
clock at one end of a hge
bookshelf ticked sole'nly.
Then a 'an they hadn%t seen
before ca'e in.
9.%' ,enry,% he told the'. 9.
ha#e a 'essage for yo, +iss
6hillips. $ro' +r ,arrington.%
9/all 'e ('y, please.%
,enry blinked. 9.%' not sre
that%sA%
90pit it ot, ,enry.% The !o'an
!ith the grey bn ca'e bstling
in. 9.%' 3laine,% she told ('y.
9The hosekeeper. .%#e got yor
roo's ready if yo%d like to
co'e and see !here yo%re all
going to sleep?%
The children eyed her
sspiciosly.
9(nd then !e%ll all go do!n to
the kitchens,% she added. 9-eryl
is 'aking dinner for yo. (nd
forAOh, 'y! ,e%s a big dog,
isn%t he?%
9That%s +onty,% /hantelle said.
9Well, !e%ll find so'e dinner for
+onty, too. (nd so'e nice old
blankets. ,e cold sleep in the
scllery !here it%s all nice and
!ar' fro' the coal range. .f
that%s sitable?%
&obert ga#e a slo! nod. ,e
appro#ed of 3laine. ('y cold
feel herself relaxing a little.
9What !as the 'essage?% she
asked ,enry.
9Oh, yes. +r ,arrington had to
retrn to the hospital so'e!hat
rgently. ,e said yo%d be
!anting to follo! hi' and .%' at
yor disposal.%
9;o%#e got another !ee one
!ho%s sick at the 'o'ent,
ha#en%t yo?% 3laine%s face !as
creased !ith sy'pathy. 9Let 'e
settle the others and get the'
fed and bathed and into bed.%
9That%s too 'ch !ork for yo,%
('y protested. 9.%ll stay and
help.%
3laine shook her head. 9.t%s
been too long since this hose
heard the sond of children%s
#oices. .t%ll be a treat.%
('y !as 1ite sre Lady
,arrington didn%t see it as a
treat. .t see'ed rather pointed
that she hadn%t retrned to the
library.
3laine see'ed to be reading
her thoghts. 9Lady ,arrington
sends her apologies,% she said,
9bt she%s not feeling #ery !ell
and has had to retire to her
roo'. 0he%ll see yo in the
'orning.%
/hrist'as 'orning.
9Whene#er yo%re ready, 'iss,%
,enry said kindly. 9(nd yo%re
not to !orry abot yor fa'ily
that%s co'ing, either. .%' to stay
in the city tonight and 'eet
the' at the airport to'orro!.
+r ,arrington said to tell yo
not to !orry abot anything.%
,enry s'iled. 9That
e#erything%s in hand.%
Things 'ay ha#e been taken
ot of her o!n hands bt ('y
felt criosly safe !ith the
astonishing flo! that !as
plling the' all along. .t !as as
thogh so'eone !as !a#ing a
!and to take care of e#erything
that !as !orrying her.
( tiny seed of so'ething as
effer#escent as excite'ent took
hold inside her.
+iracles did happen
so'eti'es, didn%t they?
(nd !hat better ti'e for a bit of
'agic than /hrist'as?
/,(6T3& 3L373*
0,3!as asleep.
Tangled, dark hair fra'ed a
pale face that !as cradled on
one ar'. The other ar' still lay
on the bed, fingers cpped
arond a 'ch s'aller hand.
Lke kept his #oice lo!. 9,o!
long has she been asleep?%
9+ost of the night. 0he%s !oken
e#ery ti'e .%#e done 0''er%s
recordings bt she%s barely
'o#ed.%
Lke ga#e the latest set of
recordings another satisfied
glance. Then he trned his head
to nod at so'eone else.
,enry shered three !o'en
into the ./4, his fingers on his
lips to !arn the' of the need to
stay 1iet and cal', and then
he faded back into the corridor.
One of the !o'en !as easily as
old as Lke%s grand'other. (
s'all, slightly hnched figre
leaning hea#ily on a !alking
stick and probably ha'pered
by the long, black skirt she !as
!earing. The other t!o looked
re'arkably like ('y and Lke
ga#e the' a s'ile that ca'e
fro' the botto' of his heart.
9Only a fe! 'intes,% he
!arned the ne! arri#als.
9There%s only spposed to be
one or t!o close relati#es at a
ti'e.%
('y%s grand'other sco!led at
Lke rather ferociosly bt her
'other !as clearly strggling
!ith tears. ,yper#entilating as
she tried to control herself.
Lke pt both his hands on her
sholders and ga#e the' a
reassring s1ee)e.
90''er%s doing #ery, #ery
!ell, +rs 6hillips. -e strong.%
,e s'iled again. 9. !oldn%t be
at all srprised if she !akes p
!hen she hears yor #oice.%

('y !oke p at the sond of
her 'other%s #oice. 0he lrched
to her feet to be en#eloped in a
hg, first fro' +arcella and
then a long, tight, relie#ed
e'brace fro' her older sister.
9-on *atale, cara! -on
*atale!%
9;o, too, &osa,% ('y
!hispered back.9-on *atale!%
,appy /hrist'as!
9-on *atale, *onna.%('y
helped her grand'other into
the chair she had been sleeping
in.
9-on *atale, +a''a.%
-t +arcella !asn%t listening.
.gnoring all the 'onitors, the .7
lines, the beeping noises and
e#erything else alar'ing, she
!as leaning o#er the bed,
gently toching 0''er%s face,
'r'ring a constant strea'
of endear'ents.
9Oh!%('y cltched her sister%s
hand and spoke in a hshed
#oice, not !anting to break the
spell. 9&osa,look ! 0''er%s
!aking p.%
(nd she !as.
0lo!ly. 6eaceflly. 0rronded
by the #oices and toch of the
three !o'en !ho !ere all
'others to her. Watched o#er
by a bene#olent s'all figre
!ho sat, i'periosly, in the
ar'chair nodding and
'ttering appro#ingly at
reglar inter#als.
0taff ca'e and !ent
nobtrsi#ely, keeping a close
!atch on !hat !as happening
bt not distrbing this special
fa'ily 'o'ent.
Lke !as there. ,e s'iled at
('y. ( s'ile that told her he
nderstood ho! special this
!as. That he nderstood ho!
'ch this 'attered.
('y s'iled back. .nclding
hi'. 6lling hi' in to share the
'agic. Trying to find and reach
throgh that crack she kne!
!as there. To reach inside Lke
Aso he !oldn%t feel lonely.
To let hi' kno! he ne#er
needed to feel lonely again.
The s'ile !ent on. (nd on.
.t !as no !onder &osa noticed.
0he looked fro' ('y to Lke
and back again. Then she
stepped to !here Lke !as
standing, !ell back fro' the
end of 0''er%s bed.
9"oes it hrt?% she 1eried.
9Where her chest !as ct open
for the operation?%
90rprisingly little,% Lke
responded. 96ain fro' fractres
co'es fro' 'o#e'ent and
there%s #ery little 'o#e'ent of
the stern' in#ol#ed in
breathing. +ost children can be
discharged fro' open<heart
srgery !ith nothing 'ore than
paraceta'ol needed to relie#e
any disco'fort. ;o%ll be
a'a)ed at ho! soon 0''er%s
p and abot.%
&osa had been listening
careflly. Watching and
assessing Lke =st as
careflly. 0he ga#e ('y a 1ick
grin as she stepped back
to!ards her sister.
93 n bell 9o'o, #ero?%
('y =st raised her eyebro!s.
This !as hardly the place to
talk abot ho! good<looking
Lke !as. :st as !ell he didn%t
speak .talian, !asn%t it?
There !as =st a hint of a !ink
in Lke%s expression as he
nodded at &osa !hile 'o#ing
a!ay, ho!e#er.
95ra)ie,%he 'r'red.
*onna sco!led disappro#ingly.
&osa%s =a! dropped and she
flshed bright pink. ('y sht
her eyes for a 'o'ent, took a
deep breath and then !alked
after Lke, bt he !as no!
standing beside the ./4
consltant so she cold hardly
apologise for her sister%s
inappropriate co''ent.
90''er needs to rest,% the
consltant re'inded ('y. 9.t%s
great if she has one or possibly
t!o of yo !ith her at all ti'es,
bt !e can%t ha#e this 'any
here all day.%
9(nd it%s /hrist'as,% Lke
added. 9;o%ll all !ant so'e
ti'e !ith the other children,
yes?%
('y nodded.
9,enry%s !aiting. ,e%ll take yo
back as soon as yo%re ready.%
9&osa !ill !ant to see the
t!ins,% ('y thoght alod. 9(nd
*onna !ill need a rest after
tra#elling. .%ll talk to +a''a. .
can stay if she !ants to see the
others.%
Lke fro!ned, as thogh that
plan !asn%t the best. -t then
he si'ply nodded. 9Let 'e
kno!,% he said, a little crtly. 9.
ha#e to go 'yself. . ha#e a fe!
things that need attention.% ,e
trned back to the ./4
consltant. 9.%#e got 'y 'obile,
of corse,% he said, 9bt .%d
prefer not to be called nless
it%s an e'ergency.%
The consltant s'iled. 9Of
corse. 3n=oy yor /hrist'as,
Lke. Things are looking good
here. ;o%re happy !ith the lad
yo !ere !orking on last
night?%
Lke nodded. 96oor kid.
5etting caght p in a gang
fight and shot on /hrist'as
3#e !as a bit rogh. ,e lost a
lot of blood bt .%' happy his
cardiac fnction !ill re'ain
nor'al. What !e need to !atch
is2%
,is #oice faded into the
backgrond as ('y !ent back
to her fa'ily. 0o ,enry !as
taking the' back to the 'anor
and Lke had things that
needed his attention. Was he
not planning to go ho'e for
/hrist'as? 0o'e of the shine
of happiness fro' 0''er%s
!aking p and the renion !ith
her fa'ily faded.
+arcella elected to stay.
9.%ll co'e and see the rest of
'yba'bina later,% she said
fir'ly. 9&ight no!, it%s this
littleangelo that needs 'e the
'ost.%
9We%ll take *onna !ith s,
then,% &osa said. 9/o'e on,
('y. . can%t !ait to see the
boys.% 0he took her trn to kiss
0''er. 90ee yo later,tesora .%
0''er s'iled and ga#e an
infinitesi'al nod, bt her ga)e
!ent straight back to +arcella.
9+a''a,% she !hispered.
9.%' here,carina . .%' staying
right beside yo.%

9/hiesa!%
9.t%s a chapel, *onna. ( s'all
chrch.% ('y hadn%t seen the
beatifl stone strctre in the
dark last night, bt this
'orning, !ith its roof and the
tops of srronding
gra#estones softly blanketed by
the deep sno!, it !as clearly
#isible a'idst a forest of hge
tree trnks.
,er grand'other crossed
herself and nodded
appro#ingly.9-ona.%
0he appro#ed of the ,arrington
fa'ily%s faith. What !old she
say !hen she learned the .talian
connection !ith a !o'an !ho
lay bried in that s'all pri#ate
ce'etery? There !as no !ay
she !old appro#e of a broken
fa'ily. ( father !ho had been
depri#ed of his only child.
+aybe it !as =st as !ell she
spoke only her nati#e langage.
&osa !as still getting her head
arond the astonishing
infor'ation ('y had sharedA
in 3nglishAdring their =orney
fro' the city.
9.t%s so !eird! 4ncle 7anni%s
son? (nd yo%#e been !orking
!ith hi' for so long and !e
ne#er kne!. Who%d ha#e
thoght?%
9,e keeps his backgrond #ery
pri#ate.%
9. can see !hy.% &osa !as
gaping as the 'anor hose
ca'e into #ie!. 9.t%s like
so'ething ot of a fairy tale. .f
people kne! ho! rich he !as,
he%d be beating !o'en off !ith
a stick.% 0he eyed her sister.
9,e%s not beating yo off, fro'
!hat . cold see.%
9.%' not after his 'oney,% ('y
said sadly. 9.f anything, . !ish
he didn%t ha#e a backgrond
like this. .t 'akes things
i'possible. Wait till yo 'eet
his grand'other. 0he hates 'e
so 'ch she coldn%t bear to
stay in the sa'e roo' as 'e
last night.%
9-ecase yo%re in lo#e !ith
her grandson?%
9We ha#en%t got that far. . think
she hates 'e becase .%' half<
.talian. (nd becase .%'
connected !ith 4ncle 7anni. .
re'ind her of ho! she lost her
daghter.%
They !ere parking in front of
the hose no!. 9. sa#ed that
scrapbook,% she told &osa. 9.t
'ight be the only thing of 4ncle
7anni%s that isn%t lost in the fire.
.%d been carrying it in 'y bag to
sho! Lke and .%d forgotten all
abot it,%
Which had been hardly
srprising becase that had
been !hen she%d been s!ept off
her feet. +ade lo#e to !ith a
passion that had dri#en all else
fro' her 'ind. (nd fro' there
she had been !hirled into a
series of nexpected and #ery
sharp trns in her life.
9. left it otside Lady
,arrington%s bedroo' door last
night !hen . !ent back to be
!ith 0''er. . !onder if she%s
e#en looked at it?%

There !as no sign of Lady
,arrington !hen 3laine 'et
the' at the front door.
9We%re all in the kitchen,% she
told ('y, 9ha#ing or /hrist'as
breakfast.%
*onna see'ed to be o#erco'e
by the sight of the /hrist'as
tree in the foyer. ('y took her
ar' and rged her gently
for!ard.
9.t%s =st the /hrist'as tree,
*onna,% she said reassringly.
9(lbero di *atale. .sn%t it
beatifl?%
*onna 'ade a clcking sond
that said, #ery elo1ently, that
she disappro#ed of sch
oplence, bt she follo!ed ('y
and &osa !illingly enogh.
9.%#e 'ade a roo' ready for
yor nanna,% 3laine said to ('y.
90he%ll need to rest, . expect.%
90oon,% ('y agreed.
9Where%s Lady ,arrington?%
&osa 1eried politely. 9. shold
introdce 'yself.%
3laine looked e'barrassed. 9.
expect she%ll be do!n soon.%
/hrist'as 'orning !ith six
children in a hose shold ha#e
been seething !ith excite'ent,
bt the at'osphere in the hge,
old kitchen !as #ery sole'n
ntil +arco and (ngelo spotted
their 'other.
9+a''a!%They scra'bled fro'
their seats at the table and
lanched the'sel#es in &osa%s
direction like s'all, h'an
torpedoes.
3laine laghed. The cook,
-eryl, !iped her hands on her
apron and grinned. +onty got
p fro' his blanket in the
corner to see !hat the fss !as
all abot. The other children,
ho!e#er, stayed at the table.
They had plates of food in front
of the'. 0lices of crsty bread
and btter that looked
ho'e'ade. -acon and eggs
and tiny sasages beside baked
beans and 'shroo's and
potato cakes. The sort of food
that !as a special treat bt they
didn%t see' to be eating 'ch
of it.
When the initial excite'ent of
&osa%s arri#al sbsided, they all
sent !ary glances to!ards
*onna, !ho !as no! sitting at
the far end of the table, and
then !ent back to playing !ith
their food.
9What%s the 'atter?% ('y
finally asked. 9(ren%t yo happy
0''er%s OK? ;o%ll all be able
to #isit her in a day or t!o. Only
one at a ti'e, bt . think she%ll
be ho'e again before #ery
long.%
That did it. &obert pshed his
plate a!ay, his fork clattering
onto the china.
9We ha#en%tgot a ho'e any
'ore,% he said sllenly. 9.t got
brned, didn%t it?%
9*ot all of it. We%ll fix things,%
('y pro'ised.
9*o, !e !on%t. (nd e#en if !e
do, yor +r ,arrington%s going
to take it a!ay fro' s, so
!hat%s the point?%
3laine exchanged a glance !ith
-eryl. &aised eyebro!s and
1ick head shakes indicated
they kne! nothing abot this.
9(nd2% Giet (ndre! !as
looking as 'iserable as &obert.
9.t%s /hrist'as!%
/hantelle brst into tears. 9(nd
!e ha#en%t got any presents,%
she sobbed. 9*ot e#enone !%
('y sent a desperate glance
to!ards &osa, bt her sister
looked stricken. +aybe the
credit card hadn%t been robst
enogh to deal !ith any airport
shopping.
9,ey!% ('y gathered /hantelle
into her ar's, taking her chair
and s'iling at the rest of the
children. 9We%#e got each other,
ha#en%t !e? We%re all safe and
!e%re all together. That%s
!hatreally 'atters.% 0he !aited
ntil &obert raised his head and
caght her ga)e. 9*obody is
going to take or hose a!ay.
*obody.% 0he hgged /hantelle.
9(nd 0''er got a present,
didn%t she? The best present
she cold e#er get. ( ne!
heart.%
90o she%s not going to die?%
&obert%s (da'%s apple bobbed
and his #oice cracked and rose.
90he%s got e#ery chance of
li#ing no!,% ('y said
confidently. 9+ch, 'ch 'ore
than she had a cople of days
ago.%
9(nd +onty%s OK,% she !ent on,
trying to pt a positi#e spin on
this strange /hrist'as "ay.
9(nd he%s like a present, too,
isn%t he? ,e can%t li#e !ith Boe
and her '' any 'ore so he%s
or pet.%
9&eally?% &osa reached past
the t!ins to stroke the hge
dog. 9/ool!%
3laine pt a stea'ing cp of
tea in front of *onna.
95ra)ie,%the old !o'an said.
3laine patted her hand. 9;o%re
!elco'e, *anna.%
-eryl filled the kettle again.
9;or ,enry%s co'ing back
fro' ptting the car a!ay. ,e%ll
be !anting so'e breakfast.%
0he didn%t take the kettle a!ay
fro' beneath the tap, ho!e#er.
0he !as still intent on peering
ot the !indo!.
9+ercy!% she said, as cold !ater
flo!ed o#er the top of the kettle
and then her hand. 0he
abandoned the tea<'aking and
peered fro' the !indo! again.
9. don%t belie#e this,% she
'ttered.
9What?% 3laine =oined her at the
sink. 9Oh,'y !% 0he flapped a
hand in a beckoning gestre.
9/hildren! ;o%d better co'e
and see. Gick! Ot the front.%
The excite'ent !as
contagios. ( s'all sta'pede
of children follo!ed, 3laine !ith
&osa and t!ins bringing p the
rear, closely follo!ed by +onty
!ho ga#e a single, lod !oof as
he bonded throgh the kitchen
door.
('y looked at *onna bt she
!as sipping her tea, apparently
npertrbed.
9.%ll stay !ith yor granny,%
-eryl offered. 9;o go and see.%
('y !ent.
/,(6T3& TW3L73
-; T,3ti'e ('y reached the
foyer, the front door !as !ide
open and sparkling, cold air
!as poring into the hose.
The sond of bells cold be
heard, getting loder and
loder.
('y reached the door. The
children !ere all standing on
the top step, a se'icircle of
faces that all had open 'oths
and !ide eyes.
(nd no !onder!
/o'ing do!n the long
dri#e!ay, co#ered in tinsel, !as
a s'all lorry. The shop na'e
9-arkers% cold be seen
beneath loops of tinsel, painted
in old<fashioned lettering on the
side, bt it !as no ordinary
shop e'ployee that cli'bed
do!n fro' the dri#er%s seat.
,e !as !earing a red sit !ith
!hite tri' and he had
ridiclosly bshy eyebro!s
and a flffy !hite beard that
reached his chest.
9,o, ho, ho,% he boo'ed. 9+erry
/hrist'as!%
,e !inked at the adlts. 90orry,
.%' late. Lots of sno! on the +>
last night.%
,is ga)e rested for =st a
fraction of a second on ('y.
:st long enogh for her to
kno! !ho !as beneath the
pillo! sto'ach and bshy
eyebro!s.
Lca!
.t !as nderstandable that
&osa and the children didn%t
recognise hi', bt 3laine
see'ed =st as taken in.
-ecase doing so'ething like
this !as so ot of character for
the ,arrington grandson and
heir?
The back door of the lorry !as
folding do!n, the recorded
bells still =ingling 'errily.
9/o'e,% $ather /hrist'as
in#ited the children. 9/o'e and
see !hat .%#e got.%
The children 'o#ed slo!ly
do!n the steps. They stood in
the dri#e!ay, staring into the
back of the lorry, and the adlts
!ere not far behind.
9Oh, 'y!% 3laine breathed.
('y blinked. (nd blinked
again. The back of this lorry
!as fll of brightly !rapped
parcels. ,ndreds of the', it
see'ed.
9. forgot 'y sack,% $ather
/hrist'as said. 9/an so'eone
sho! 'e !here the tree is and
gi#e 'e a hand to get the' all
inside?%
&obert stepped for!ard and
spoke in a steady, deep #oice. 9.
can do that.%

The noise cold ha#e !oken
the dead.
,appy shoting. Laghter.
01eals of glee.
The gifts !ere a'a)ing.
0o'eoneApossibly 'any
peopleAhad been gi#en a list of
those in#ol#ed. Their ages and
approxi'ate si)es and the
infor'ation that they had lost
'ost of their belongings.
+any of the first packages
contained clothes. :eans and T<
shirts and !ar', fleecy =ackets.
(noraks and g'boots in
!onderfl bright colors.
Kyra%s !ere pink !ith li'e<
green spots.
9Wo!!% she said. 9These are!ay
cool!%
,enry and 3laine and -eryl
!atched fro' the library door.
('y sat on the stairs, brshing
tears for' her cheeks on 'ore
than one occasion. Totally
nable to !ipe the s'ile fro'
her face.
0he !as ri#eted by the scene.
The generosity !as
o#er!hel'ing and the =oy of the
children heart<!ar'ing, bt the
real 'agic ca'e fro' !atching
this $ather /hrist'as. The
=oyhe !as getting, acting the
part. 4sing &obert as his right<
hand 'an.
9;o%re the chief elf!% he
boo'ed in that astonishingly
deep, nrecognisable #oice.
9;o get to find the next gift.%
&obert !as scrplosly fair,
'aking sre e#eryone had their
trns.
.t !as /hantelle !ho pointed
ot !hen &obert !as de for a
gift. 0he tgged shyly at
0anta%s slee#e.
9.t !oldn%t be fair, !old it? .f
the chief elf got left ot?%
9;o can be the depty chief
elf,% Lke told her. 9;o get to
find a present for &obert.%
9,o! did yo kno! all or
na'es?%
9.%' $ather /hrist'as! . kno!
e#erybody%s na'es.%
/hantelle sighed happily. 9.
lo#e yo, 0anta.%
9. lo#e yo, too, chicken.%
('y%s =oy o#erflo!ed and she
grgled !ith laghter. $ather
/hrist'as looked p and she
kne!he kne! that she had
recognised hi'. .t !as their
secret and ('y cold barely
tear her ga)e a!ay fro' hi' as
the gift distribtion contined.
0he !as !aiting for each
'o'ent of connection.
Lo#ing hi' 'ore each ti'e.
(t one point she had to look p
to blink a!ay 'ore tears and it
!as then that she sa! the
solitary figre standing to one
side of the 4 at the top of the
stairs, gripping the banister
!ith one hand.
Lady 6rdence ,arrington
looked dishe#elled. 0he !ore a
dressing<go!n and her hair !as
nbrshed. 0he didn%t see
('y%s shocked glance. 0he
!as too intent on !atching her
grandson and the children.
('y sa! so'ething else, as
!ell. /ltched beneath the old
!o'an%s ar' !as the leather<
bond scrapbook of /aroline%s.
The kno!ledge that her gift had
been accepted only added to
the 'agic. ('y trned back to
keep !atching the see'ingly
endless strea' of gifts.
There !ere toys galore. Lo#ely
toys, like Lego for the t!ins and
+eccano for (ndre!. &obert
had a telescope and books
abot astrono'y. There !ere
soft toy ani'als for /hantelle
and a hair straightener and
'ake<p for Kyra. There !ere
e#en toys for +onty. ( $risbee
and flinger. &a!hide treats and
a hge, soft bed.
&osa recei#ed perf'e and
chocolates and there !as a
beatifl 'ohair knee rg for
*onna. 6arcels !ere pt aside
for +arcella and 0''er. The
'assi#e pile of gifts !as finally
!hittled do!n and the depty
elf tgged on 0anta%s slee#e
again, this ti'e !ith 'ore
rgency.
9-t !hat abot('y ?% she
de'anded. 9Where%sher
present?%
9(h!% Lke%s #oice !as still
deep bt it softened. 9. ha#e a
#ery special present for ('y.
.t%s otside.%
('y caght her breath. What
cold it be? &obert looked p
fro' one of his books. 9/an !e
co'e and see it?%
$ather /hrist'as shook his
head. 9.%' afraid not.%
9Why not?% /hantelle asked.
9Welo#e ('y.%
9. kno!, chicken. 0o do ..%
( sensation as thogh a bottle
of cha'pagne had been opened
inside ('y sent its fi)) right
throgh her body. ,e lo#ed
her?
/hantelle see'ed =st as
a'a)ed.9&eally?% -t then she
nodded. 9-ecase yo lo#e
e#erybody, right?%
9;es. -tespecially ('y.% ,e
!as looking directly at her and
('y coldn%t breathe. /oldn%t
'o#e.
9-t !hy can%t !e see her
present?% &obert took charge of
the arg'ent.
9.t%s not here.%
9;o said it !as otside!%
9/o'e,% $ather /hrist'as
ordered. 9;o%ll see !hat .
'ean.%

,e disappeared into the back
of the lorry and there !as the
sond of an engine roaring into
life.
('y had been able to 'o#e
after all. 0he stood !ith
e#erybody else on the steps
and !as =st as astonished to
see $ather /hrist'as e'erge,
dri#ing careflly do!n the ra'p
on a t!o<seated sno!'obile.
,e did a slo! trn and then
parked in front of the steps. ,is
ga)e !as on ('y and she cold
tell he !as s'iling beneath the
bshy beard becase of the
!ay his eyes crinkled.
9-on *atale,%$ather /hrist'as
said in perfect .talian. ,e patted
the seat beside hi'.97ieni con
'e?%

Of corse ('y !old go !ith
hi'.
(ny!here.
( ride into a blindingly !hite
/hrist'as day, on a 'odern
sleigh, !rapped in a fax fr
blanket !ith one of Lke%s ar's
arond her sholders !as too
drea'like to belie#e.
They !ent throgh a gate and
p the long, gentle slope of a
hill. (t the top of the hill !ere
so'e hge rocks, ='bled
together like a pile of re=ect
'aterial fro' 0tonehenge. (
gap bet!een t!o rocks for'ed
an arch and it !as beneath this
that Lke parked. ,e s!itched
off the 'achine%s 'otor so that
all arond the' !as that
pecliar kind of silence a sno!<
clad landscape cold prodce,
!here the sonds of ordinary
life !ere 'ffled and irrele#ant.
9Look,% Lke pointed. 9That%s
,arrington #illage.%
0pread belo! the' like a
pictre on a /hrist'as card
!as a chrch spire and a
clster of cottages. ('y cold
see the #illage green, a
pictres1e pb and a hddle
of s'all shops. To one side of
the #illage, bffered by !oods
and sno!<co#ered fields, lay
,arrington +anor. 0'oke
crled in#itingly fro' 'ore than
one chi'ney. 0o'e!here in
there !ere a grop of children
!ho !ere ha#ing the 'ost
exciting /hrist'as 'orning
e#er.
9Thank yo, Lca,% she said
softly. 9What yo did this
'orning !as a'a)ing. . can%t
belie#e yo%#e gone to so 'ch
troble for s. ;o%d already
done enogh, yo kno!A
gi#ing s a place to stay.%
93nogh? .%#e barely started.%
('y caght her breath. /old
he 'ean !hat she thoght he
'ight 'ean? What she cold
drea' he 'ight 'ean?
9"id yo like it?% Lke held her
ga)e.
('y coldn%t s'ile becase it
!as too big. 9.t !as a !hole
collection of those 'o'ents,%
she said sole'nly.
9The ones that take yor breath
a!ay?%
9. felt as if . 'ight ne#er breathe
again.%
Lke plled his hat off, !hich
got rid of the bshy eyebro!s.
Then he tgged his beard a!ay
and, looking like the 'an ('y
had fallen in lo#e !ith again, he
placed a soft kiss on her
lips.9-ono,% he 'r'red.
('y plled back so she cold
see his face properly. 90ince
!hen did yo start speaking
.talian, +r ,arrington?%
.n response he plled her
closer so that she !as tcked
into the circle of his ar's.
/shioned on that ridiclos
sto'ach. ,e kissed her hair bt
then raised his head to ga)e at
the scene belo! the'.
9. gre! p !ith this,% he told
her. 9+y heritage. . sed to
co'e p here !hen . !as a boy
and look do!n at e#erything. .t
all had 'y na'e on it.
,arrington #illage. ,arrington
school. 3#en the ,arrington
(r's. .t felt as if the !hole
!orld belonged to 'e and yet .
felt2%
('y t!isted a little to look p.
9Lonely?%
9;es. *ot that . nderstood it
then, bt . kne! so'ething !as
'issing. . thoght it !as
becase . !as an orphan,
except . kne! . !asn%t. . had a
father !ho didn%t !ant 'e.%
*ot tre, bt he hadn%t kno!n
that, had he? ('y slipped her
ar's o#er the top of Lke%s and
pressed so that he !as holding
her 'ore tightly.
9. felt . deser#ed to be alone,%
Lke said 1ietly. 9That there
!as so'ething abot 'e that
'eant . !old al!ays be alone.%
('y had to s!allo! the l'p
in her throat. 9;o%re not alone,
Lca. .%' here.%
9;es.% ,e pressed his lips to her
hair again and held her so
closely it beca'e another
'o'ent that took ('y%s breath
a!ay. 9. don%t !ant to let yo
go,% he confessed.
9. don%t !ant yo to let 'e go,%
('y responded. 9. lo#e yo,
Lca +oretti.%
The sond Lke 'ade !as
al'ost a groan. 9That%s it,% he
'r'red. 9;o trned 'y
!orld inside ot, ('y 6hillips.
+ade 'e !onder !ho . actally
!as. ;o fond the part of 'e
that . kne! !as 'issing bt
cold ne#er identify. *o2% ,is
#oice caght. 9;oare the part
of 'e that !as 'issing.%
9The .talian half?%
Lke shook his head. 9*ot
entirely. .t goes deeper than
that. "o yo re'e'ber !hat
yo said to 'e that first night
!e talked? When . said .
intended de'olishing the
hose?%
('y cold feel her cheeks
flsh. 9. !asn%t #ery polite, !as
.?%
9;o said, o#er 'y dead
body and . !as shocked
becase yo 'eant it. ;o !ere
prepared to fight for !hat yo
!ere passionate abot. To do
anything.%
('y !as silent. 3'barrassed.
,ad he really thoght that !as
!hy she had gone to bed !ith
hi'?
9. coldn%t think of anything .
cold e#er feel like that abot,%
Lke contined softly.
90o'ething . !old be prepared
to lay 'y life on the line for
becase life !oldn%t be !orth
li#ing !ithot it. 4ntil2% ,e
dre! in a long breath. 94ntil .
'ade lo#e to yo, ('y. 4ntil .
lay there in yor ar's and felt
as thogh . !old ne#er feel
lonely again. . kno! it%s far too
soon, bt . lo#e yo.Ti a'o,
('y. ('ore 'io. 6er se'pre. .s
that for e#er? +y .talian is
'ore than rsty.%
9. lo#e yo, too, Lca.% ('y
blinked back her tears. 9.t%s not
too soon and for e#er sonds
perfect to 'e, ho!e#er yo say
it.%
9(re yo sre?%
9. !as sre the 'o'ent yo
ga#e 'e that box of old
/hrist'as decorations.%
Lke kissed her again. 0lo!ly.
With infinite tenderness.
9(nd . !as sre that first ti'e
yo s'iled at 'e.%
9When !as that?%
9When . !ent along !ith that
lie. When yo said .%d co'e to
the hose to see ho! 0''er
!as becase . !as her doctor.
When yo !ere protecting the
other children.%
('y grinned. 9;o didn%t act
like yo !ere in lo#e !ith 'e.%
9. =st hadn%t realised it. . didn%t
nderstand !hat !as
happening to 'e. . do no!.%
9.%' not sre . do.% ('y
!rapped her ar's arond
Lca%s neck and broght her
face close enogh to kiss hi'.
The tip of her nose toched his.
9-t 'aybe . don%t need to
becase it%s 'agic. /hrist'as
'agic.%
9*o.% ,is nose 'o#ed beneath
hers as he shook his head.
9This 'agic is going to last a
lifeti'e. 0o 'any /hrist'ases
yo !on%t be able to cont
the', and e#ery one of the'
!ill be 'agic.%
('y cold feel his breath on
her lips and she closed her
eyes as she !aited for his kiss.
9:st like this,% she 'r'red.
9(l!ays.%

,ors later. +any hors later,
Lke !as kissing ('y yet
again. This ti'e in the co'fort
of the glo! the library fire !as
pro#iding.
The hose !as al'ost as 1iet
as the hilltop had been becase
e#eryone else had long since
gone to bed.
9This has been the 'ost
a'a)ing day of 'y life,% ('y
said, !hen she had a 'o'ent
to catch her breath. 9Thank
yo.%
9What for?%
9$or e#erything.% ('y started to
cont the reasons off on her
fingers. 9$or sa#ing 0''er
and gi#ing her a ne! chance of
life. $or bringing the children
here. $or that extraordinary pile
of presents. $or the /hrist'as
dinner and ha#ing +r -attersby
here !ith those papers that
ga#e the hose to +a''a.
$or2this!% ('y held p her left
hand.
Lke groaned. 9;o%re not
spposed to be !earing that. .t
ca'e ot of a /hrist'as
cracker, for hea#en%s sake. .t%s
rbbish!%
.t !as. ( lrid, s1are, pink
stone stck to a gady gold
band, bt Lke had offered it to
her. .n front of e#erybody, and it
had been his choice to slip it
onto the third finger of her left
hand. *obody had 'issed the
significance of that gestre and
the fablos 'eal had beco'e
a celebration of far 'ore than
/hrist'as.
9.%' !earing it,% ('y said
stbbornly.
9.%' replacing it, then,% Lke
said fir'ly. 9With the real thing.
(s soon as the shops are open
again. .n fact, .%' sre +r
-arker !oldn%t 'ind doing 'e
one 'ore s'all fa#or and .
belie#e they ha#e a !onderfl
selection of =e!ellery. .%ll talk to
hi' to'orro!.%
('y sighed !ith content'ent
and ga#e herself p to another
one of those kisses she !old
ne#er, e#er tire of. The clock in
the corner !as re'inding the'
that the last 'intes of this
/hrist'as day 'ight be ticking
a!ay bt there still see'ed to
be plenty of 'agic in the air.
.t !as Lke !ho spoke !hen
they relctantly dre! apart.
9.t%s 'e !ho shold be
thanking yo,% he said.
9What for?%
9$or gi#ing 'y grand'other
that scrapbook. . don%t think
she%s e#er going to pt it do!n.
0he says she feels as if yo%#e
gi#en her back part of her
daghter. The happiest part.%
9"id yo hear her say-on
*atale to *onna?%
9;es.% Lke s'iled. 9,er accent
!as atrocios bt it%s a start,
isn%t it?% ,e held ('y close.
9;o%#e changed e#erything for
s, 'y lo#e. 3specially for 'e. .
don%t think . can e#er tell yo
ho! gratefl . a' that .%#e
fond yo. That, by so'e
extraordinary 'iracle, yo lo#e
'e. .t%s too ne!. Too
!onderfl.%
9.t%s real,% ('y assred hi'.
9(nd this is 'y gift to yo
today, Lca. +y lo#e. +y heart
and sol. $or e#er.%
Lca%s eyes !ere sspiciosly
bright. 9Then it%s the sa'e as
'y gift to yo.-on *atale ,
('y.%
9-on *atale, Lca.%
.0-*D CIH<><J@?H<@HJK<J
T,3 .T(L.(* 04&53O*%0
/,&.0T+(0 +.&(/L3
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6blication @EEH
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&oberts
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