One Night Only (225 page)

Sh
e
walke
d
aroun
d
t
o
th
e
passenge
r
side
,
wipin
g
her
face
,
an
d
whe
n
sh
e
go
t
comfortabl
e
i
n
he
r
seat
,
sh
e
pulled o
n
he
r
sea
t
bell
,
fixe
d
he
r
make-u
p
an
d
le
t
ou
t a
lon
g
sigh
o
f
relief
.

“No
w
,
”
sh
e
sai
d
t
o
Poll
y
.
“
I
fee
l
muc
h
bette
r
no
w
.
Let
’
s
ge
t
hom
e
t
o
ou
r
familie
s
wh
o
lov
e
us
.
I
jus
t
wan
t
t
o
see
m
y
childre
n
an
d
hol
d
the
m
ver
y
close
,
eve
n
i
f
the
y
do thin
k
I’
m
a
ner
d
fo
r
doin
g
so.
”

“
Y
es,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
wa
s
longin
g
t
o
snuggl
e
he
r
boys
too and
have
a cosy
night
in front
of
the telly
with
James.
I
t
ha
d
bee
n
a
hecti
c
weeken
d
an
d
sh
e
ha
d
a
lo
t
o
f
catching u
p
t
o
do
.
“
I
thin
k
I
nee
d
a
glas
s
o
f
win
e
afte
r
al
l
that!
”

“Brin
g
i
t
on!
”
sai
d
Ruth
.
“Let
’
s
ge
t
th
e
floc
k
ou
t
of
here
!
Y
o
u
hav
e
n
o
ide
a
ho
w
goo
d
I
fee
l
righ
t
now
!
I
feel
fre
e
a
t
last
!
W
o
o
hoo
!
”

Thre
e
Month
s
Later

Gin
a
sa
t
i
n
he
r
armchai
r
b
y
th
e
fron
t
windo
w
and watche
d
th
e
sno
w
fal
l
ont
o
he
r
fron
t
garde
n
a
s
Danny playe
d
outside
,
wrappe
d
u
p
i
n
a
s
man
y
layer
s
a
s
h
e
could carr
y
.
H
e
wa
s
bac
k
o
n
hi
s
fee
t
agai
n
an
d
althoug
h
not
completel
y
mobile
,
h
e
wa
s
certainl
y
makin
g
u
p
fo
r
lost tim
e
a
s
h
e
hobble
d
aroun
d
outsid
e
wit
h
Polly
’
s
kid
s
and
som
e
o
f
th
e
othe
r
childre
n
i
n
Ardglas
s
V
illas
.
Th
e
sk
y
was
heav
y
an
d
ful
l
o
f
sno
w
an
d
althoug
h
sh
e
wa
s
tire
d
and wa
s
du
e
he
r
dail
y
nap
,
sh
e
couldn
’
t
clos
e
he
r
eye
s
i
n
case
sh
e
misse
d
th
e
magica
l
flurr
y
outside
.

Poll
y
wa
s
i
n
th
e
kitche
n
tidyin
g
afte
r
lunc
h
–
sh
e
had mad
e
lunc
h
fo
r
Gin
a
an
d
Dann
y
ever
y
da
y
sinc
e
Gin
a
was sen
t
hom
e
fro
m
hospita
l
an
d
woul
d
no
t
hea
r
o
f
things
bein
g
an
y
different
,
n
o
matte
r
ho
w
muc
h
Gin
a
protested. “Right
,
miss
y
,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
whe
n
sh
e
entere
d
th
e
room. “That
’
s
enoug
h
starin
g
ou
t
o
f
window
s
fo
r
on
e
da
y
.
How
a
b
ou
t
w
e
pu
t
o
n
ou
r
wellie
s
an
d
tak
e
a
wal
k
i
n
thi
s
beautif
u
l
winte
r
wonderland?
”

Gin
a
crane
d
he
r
nec
k
t
o
th
e
side
.
Sh
e
wa
s
s
o
cos
y
in he
r
fleec
y
pyjama
s
an
d
th
e
fir
e
wa
s
roarin
g
i
n
th
e
grate
.

“I’
m
a
bi
t
to
o
tired,
”
sh
e
said
.
“Bu
t
thank
s
anyho
w
.
I’
m
happ
y
enoug
h
t
o
jus
t
admir
e
th
e
vie
w
,
bu
t
yo
u
go ahead
.
I’
m
sur
e
th
e
kid
s
woul
d
b
e
delighte
d
t
o
g
o
fo
r
a
wal
k
i
n
th
e
sno
w
wit
h
thei
r
supe
r
-coo
l
mu
m
an
d
leav
e
old Miser
y
Gut
s
Gin
a
behind
.
Dann
y
need
s
t
o
wra
p
u
p
extra war
m
though
.
Hi
s
le
g
coul
d
ge
t
ver
y
sor
e
i
f
h
e
stay
s
out to
o
long.
”