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two of them on the tops of their heads, and fled with her medical bag to her car.
    Sylvia cheerfully went to get the children’s coats from the hall cupboard. ‘Now Alex, aren’t you going to have a lovely time in playgroup today? I wonder if they’ll have the sand out today for your Sylvie to play in. Or shall I play with the water? Do they have water to play with, Beth?’
    Beth ignored her. She looked up when she saw her father’s feet appear beside her. He bent down and stood her up. ‘Coat on, Beth.’ She allowed him to dress her, then she took hold of Sylvia’s hand and set off without another word. Sylvia was greatly relieved. But the relief was short-lived. Within five minutes of arriving, Beth had disappeared. The playgroup door had been open for only a moment as another of the children arrived and Beth had slipped out. The moment she realised what had happened, Sylvia ran out of school but there was no sign of Beth.
    Jimbo found her sitting on the same chair, sucking her thumb and rubbing her nose ‘with her lover, but this time there were no tears, only deep sadness.
    ‘Well now, Beth. Hello. Come to see Uncle Bimbo again? You left your Smarties last time. Shall we go get them?’ Beth ignored him. ‘Come with Uncle Bimbo, eh?’ It was as if he hadn’t spoken. He looked round the Store and asked a customer to keep an eye on her while he phoned Peter and the school.
    Peter took her back to the classroom. Sylvia was out searching the playground, Liz Neal was distraught and Kate Pascoe was seething.
    ‘Really, Rector, again!’
    ‘Yes – again. I might add that my daughter is here under your protection. I can hardly be pleased with the way you’re carrying out your duties.’
    ‘I didn’t qualify in containing Houdinis – what teacher has? The only way to keep Beth in is to lock all the doors – which I resolutely refuse to do. This is not a prison. In any case, the playgroup is not strictly under my authority. Although I do everything I can to help, the actual responsibility is Mrs Neal’s. But the responsibility for your daughter’s personal safety is getting too much.’
    Liz apologised. ‘I’m terribly sorry, Peter. I’ve never had this before. How about if we give her a break? Perhaps Alex going home and saying how much he enjoys himself might have a beneficial effect on her attitude. Or else it is that she’s just not quite ready. Not all children take to it as easily as Alex has.’
    ‘I think maybe you could be right. We’ll keep her at home this week and try to find out what the problem is. Thank you. I’m sorry for all the trouble.’
    ‘That’s all right. We can’t expect to run a playgroup without some hiccoughs.’
    Kate returned to her class. Peter and Sylvia took Beth home. She ran through the door shouting, ‘Mummy! Mummy!’ When she couldn’t find Caroline she went to Sylvia, clutched hold of her skirt and never left her side all morning.
    ‘Beth is staying at home for the rest of the week.’
    Caroline swallowed her last drop of coffee and said, ‘You’ve decided to keep her at home this week? Without consulting me?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Peter!’
    ‘Her heart – her tender, loving heart is broken.’
    ‘She’ll soon get over it. Children can be like that – they don’t like change.’
    ‘I said her heart is broken.’
    ‘I heard.’
    ‘The pain is unbearable for her.’
    ‘Nonsense.’
    ‘I won’t have my decision altered. She is not going on either Wednesday or Friday.’
    ‘Just a moment. We are both of us her parents; decisions are joint ones.’
    ‘In this case, I’m sorry, but my decision is final. I cannot remember when I felt the need to assert my authority so positively, but that is what I’m doing now. She is not going this week. She is putting her life at risk to tell us she is unhappy. Do you realise that? Her life at risk . She has twice crossed Jacks Lane on her own , when she is far too young and far too distraught to have any road