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that sprang into her eyes at his question. She bit her lip and turned away. ‘Oh, a long way away. You wouldn’t know
it.’
    ‘I might,’ he insisted. ‘We’ve been doing geography at school on the British Isles and learning where lots of places are. I
might
know it.’ He was trying
to wheedle an answer from her, but now the girl said nothing and deliberately turned her back on him and his questions.
    A few days before Christmas Tony brought her a hot mince pie. ‘Me mam’s just finished baking. She didn’t notice I took an extra one.’
    Anna bit into the light pastry with the warm juicy mincemeat inside. ‘It’s lovely,’ she said. ‘I wish I could send a message to your mam.’ She smiled and suddenly
some of the pain that was always in the depths of her violet eyes, lightened. ‘But I’d better not.’
    Tony was staring at her. ‘You’re ever so pretty when you smile,’ he said with the innocent candour of a young boy. ‘Haven’t you got funny coloured eyes? I
mean,’ he added hastily, ‘they’re nice, but I’ve never seen anyone with eyes that colour before.’
    At once the smile fled from her face and the anguish returned. Her words came haltingly, almost as if she were trying not to speak them, but an innate politeness was forcing her to do so.
‘They’re the same – colour as my – mother’s.’ The last word was spoken in a strangled whisper and, to the boy’s horror, tears welled in her eyes.
    ‘I’ll be off,’ he said gruffly, pushing his hands deep into the pockets of his coat. There was an embarrassed pause before he said, haltingly, ‘I’ll have to take
Rip back with me tonight.’
    He bit his lip. He didn’t want to explain to the girl that there had been an awkward moment at home the previous evening. He had been sitting in his pyjamas in front of the kitchen range
drinking cocoa when his mother, coming in from the outside privy, had said, ‘Where’s Rip? He’s not chained up.’
    Tony had felt his heart miss a beat and then begin to pound. He licked the line of chocolate from his upper lip and said, ‘He – he wouldn’t come home with me. He – he
went off chasing rabbits, I think.’
    ‘At this time of night? That’s not like him. He’s a very obedient dog usually. Specially with you, Tony. Oh well, mebbe it’s not only rabbits he’s chasing,’
she added dryly. ‘He’s male, after all.’
    Tony buried his nose in his mug to finish his drink. Then he stood up. Going to his mother, he put his arms around her and gave her an extra tight hug, trying to assuage his guilt at lying to
her. ‘Night, Mam.’
    She had kissed his hair and patted his back. ‘Night-night, love.’
    Now, in the cottage, he commanded, ‘Come on, Rip. Home, boy.’
    The dog wagged his tail, but made no move to follow. Instead, Rip glanced at Anna and then sat down.
    Tony slapped his own thigh. ‘Come
on
, Rip.’
    The dog flattened his ears and lay down, crawling on his belly, not towards his young master, but towards the girl.
    Now it was the boy who had tears in his eyes. ‘He’s
my
dog,’ he said. ‘Not yours. I only lent him to you.’
    ‘I know you did,’ Anna said quietly, her own misery forgotten for the moment. ‘Rip is confused, that’s all.’ She bent and stroked the dog’s head and he licked
her hand. ‘Good dog. Go with your master now, boy. Go with Tony.’
    As if understanding he had been released from any obligation, Rip sprang up, barked and ran to the boy, leaping up to lick his face. Tony knelt and put his arms around the dog, hugging the
wriggling body to him. Without another word, he turned and began to run up the hill, the dog racing ahead and then coming back to him.
    Anna heard the boy’s joyful laughter and the dog barking. As she closed the door against the dusk of approaching evening, she was already missing Rip’s comforting presence in the
cottage.

Six
    Anna did not see the boy for the next three days, but each morning, when she