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body in her arms horrified Christabel but she didn’t know how to refuse. As the baby looked up into her face, her deep-blue eyes staring straight into her own, Christabel felt her heart thudding.
    Kay was the same age as her own baby would have been, and it might just as well have been her own child that she was holding in her arms, who was looking at her so intently. She couldn’t help wondering where her own little girl was and whether or not she was as loved and well cared for as little Kay was.
    Mabel was so proud of little Kay, making much of the fact that she was her only grandchild, andChristabel once again wondered what her parents’ reaction would have been if she’d confided in them when she was pregnant.
    When she went to bed that night she found herself wondering if perhaps Lewis had been right after all and whether, as her parents loved his little Kay so much, they would have accepted her child?
    It was now too late to do anything about it, she thought sadly. She had given up her baby and now she had no idea at all where her baby was; she could only hope that her child had found love and that she was well cared for and happy.
    There was one thing she could do, she resolved. First thing in the morning before she caught the train back to Hilbury, she would go and see Maggie Nelson and thank her for all she’d done for her.
    Maggie was astonished to see her on the doorstep. She greeted her enthusiastically and looked startled when Christabel handed her a big bunch of red roses.
    â€˜For me?’ she gasped. ‘No one has ever bought me flowers before in the whole of my life.’
    Over a cup of tea she expressed sympathy for Christabel’s loss. ‘Your husband told me that you’d lost the baby,’ she said, laying one of her work-worn hands on Christabel’s. ‘Perhaps there will be another one soon,’ she added. ‘You’re such a lovely couple that you deserve to have a family, you’ll make lovely parents.’
    Her words made Christabel feel so guilty about the way they had deceived her that she almost broke down and told Maggie Nelson the truth. Then, realising that it would not do either of them any good, she held her tongue. It was all in the past, she reminded herself, and she’d resolved to start afresh, so why burden Maggie Nelson by telling her?
    The train was on the point of pulling out as Christabel rushed on to the platform. As she settled into a corner seat she suddenly wondered if Karl Blume had also caught it or whether he was still at large and, if so, what she ought to do about it.

Chapter Seven
    Peggy Wilson clamped a hand over her mouth, her grey eyes filled with astonishment, when Christabel walked into the room they shared, dumped her bag on the floor, and flopped on to the bed with a groan of weariness.
    â€˜What on earth is wrong with you?’ she laughed.
    â€˜I feel half crippled,’ Christabel groaned. ‘I’ve had to walk from the station because there was no transport,’ she grumbled, kicking off her shoes and massaging her aching feet. ‘Do you know why?’
    â€˜All leave has been cancelled. There’s a hue and cry going on because that German patient, Karl Blume, is missing,’ Peggy told her. ‘The Military Police are here investigating.’
    Startled, Christabel sat bolt upright. ‘Oh heavens! He followed me to the station!’
    Peggy looked startled. ‘You mean when you went home?’
    â€˜That’s right. He’d heard me telling you that I was going home and he asked if he could come with me. Of course I told him it was impossible, but he was on the same train as I was and he was wearing a British officer’s uniform. Heavenknows how he managed to get hold of that. I didn’t speak to him, but he got out at the Exchange, the same as I did, and then he just seemed to vanish.’
    Peggy looked worried. ‘When the officer in charge of the