He jumped at a hand on his shoulder. Sofia was standing there, wrapped in her old black coat. Her face was flushed; with the pleasure of seeing him, he realized with a warm glow. She smiled. ‘What were you thinking about?’

‘Nothing. Just some problems at work. Here, sit down.’

‘Is Barbara not here yet?’

‘No.’ He looked at his watch, surprised to see it was nearly one o’clock. ‘She’s late. Let me get you a coffee.’

She hesitated for a second. ‘OK.’

There had been arguments about Harry paying for everything and buying her presents as well. He had said, ‘I’ve got money, maybe I don’t deserve it, but I have. Why shouldn’t I spend some of it on you?’

‘People will say I am a kept woman,’ she had replied, blushing.

Harry had realized Sofia wasn’t as free of what she called ‘bourgeois

sensibilities’ as she liked to think.

‘You know it’s not true, that’s what matters.’

But she wouldn’t let him give the family money; she said they could manage. Harry wished she would let him do more at the same time as he loved her pride. He fetched her coffee.

‘How’s Paco?’

‘Very quiet. Enrique is with him today; it is his day off too.’ With Elena dead and Sofia and Enrique both working, the little boy had to be left alone in the flat most days now. He refused to go out unless one of the adults came with him.

“He liked the crayons you brought him. He wants to know when the red-haired lady will come again. She made an impression on him. He calls her “the kind lady”.’

‘We could ask her if she’d like to visit.’

‘That would be good.’ Sofia frowned. ‘I am afraid one day Paco will let Senõra Avila in. I know she comes knocking. I have told him not to answer. The knocking scares him, it reminds him of when his parents were taken. But I am frightened one day he will open the door and she will take him because he is on his own.’

‘He won’t open the door if he’s scared of her.’

‘We cannot carry on like this for ever, just leaving him at home on his own.’

‘No.’ Harry agreed.

‘I will not lose him.’ Sofia sighed. ‘Do you think we are silly, burdening ourselves like this? Enrique thinks so sometimes, I know, but he has also come to love Paco.’

He thought, she’s lost her mother, now she’s frightened of losing the boy, and if they send me back home she’ll lose me. He frowned.

‘What is it, Harry?’

‘Nothing.’ He looked up to see Barbara approaching, her headscarf and glasses dotted with snowflakes, and waved her over.

‘Sorry I’m late. It’s started up again outside.’

‘I have never seen anything like it,’ Sofia said. ‘The drought in the summer and now this.’

Harry got up and took Barbara’s coat. ‘Shall we get the lunch menu?’

She raised a hand. ‘No, listen. I’m awfully sorry, but I can’t stay. I’ve an appointment on the other side of town at two and the trams aren’t running, I’ll have to walk. Just get me a coffee, could you?’

‘All right.’ Harry studied Barbara. There was something serious, determined in her manner. He fetched another coffee. When he returned Barbara and Sofia were talking earnestly.

‘Barbara says Paco needs to see a doctor,’ Sofia told him.

‘Well, a doctor might have some ideas how to help. I could help pay—’ He bit his lip as Sofia frowned. He shouldn’t have spoken about giving her money in front of Barbara.

‘If it could help the poor little scrap,’ Barbara said. ‘But I realize it’s difficult.’

‘Have you started at the veterans’ hospital?’ Harry asked her, changing the subject.

‘Yes, it’s better than that orphanage at least. But war wounds, awful injuries. All the things the Red Cross tried to prevent.’ She sighed. ‘Oh well, it’s too late to think like that now.’ She looked at Harry. ‘I may be going home for Christmas after all.’

‘To England?’

‘Yes, you remember, Sandy suggested it, and I thought, why not? At least I’ll get to see how things really are there.’

‘Will they let you back into Spain?’ Sofia asked. ‘I suppose so, as your husband is working here.’

Barbara hesitated. ‘I should think so.’

But Sandy’s not her husband, Harry thought. Something occurred to him. ‘It’s the same the other way round, isn’t it? I mean, if an Englishman had, say, a Spanish fiancée, he might have problems taking her into England. But if you’re married they’ll let you both in.’

‘Yes,’ Barbara said. ‘At least that’s how it was before the war. I remember all those rules from the Red Cross. Getting refugees from one country to another.’ She looked blank for a moment. ‘Less than five years ago. It seems a lifetime.’

Sofia lowered her voice. ‘There is still the risk Franco could declare war.’

Barbara took off her glasses, which had steamed up, and cleaned them on her handkerchief. Without them, her face looked more attractive but vulnerable as well. She stirred her coffee carefully, then looked up at them.

‘I probably won’t come back,’ she said flatly. ‘I don’t think Sandy and I can go on.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Harry said. ‘I could see you weren’t happy.’

Barbara drew on her cigarette. ‘I owe him a lot. He put me back together again after – after Bernie. But I don’t think I like the shape he put me back into any more.’ She laughed awkwardly. ‘Sorry to blurt all this out. Only I’ve had no one to talk to, you see. Does it make sense?’

‘There comes a time when you have to face things,’ Harry said. ‘Take the blinkers off.’ He shook his head. He looked at Sofia. ‘Spain’s done that for me. Made me see the world’s more complicated than I realized.’

Barbara looked at him, stared at him in that odd, keen way. ‘It certainly is.’

There was silence for a few moments. ‘Have you told him that you will not be coming back?’ Sofia asked Barbara.

‘No. He doesn’t care any more anyway. I’ve got a – a bit of business to see to, then I’ll go over for Christmas. I hope.’

‘I think Sandy might have business problems,’ Harry ventured.

‘Do you know something?’ Barbara asked.

Harry hesitated. ‘He was going to get me involved in – in one of his companies. But it fell through.’

‘What company?’

‘I don’t know. I know very little.’

Barbara nodded. ‘I’m sorry if I seem disloyal,’ she said, ‘but I’ve watched you with him. You don’t really like him now, do you? You just keep up with him because of the old school thing?’

‘Well – something like that.’

‘It’s strange, he wants your approval.’ She turned to Sofia. ‘The bonds between men who went to these English public schools, there’s nothing like it in Spain.’ She laughed a little hysterically. Sofia looked embarrassed. Harry thought, she’s close to the edge.

Barbara bit her lip. ‘You will both keep this quiet, won’t you? I’m sorry.’

‘Of course.’

Sofia smiled. ‘Paco keeps asking after you. Perhaps you could come and see him again, before you go back to England.’

Barbara smiled too. ‘I’d like to. Thanks. Maybe we could take him out somewhere. A treat.’

Harry took a deep breath. ‘I do need to talk to Sandy about something. To do with that business deal. Do you know if he’s in his office today?’

‘He should be.’ Barbara glanced at her watch. ‘Oh God, I must go. I’m sorry, I’ve kept you from your lunch, telling you all my woes. I am sorry.’

‘It’s all right. Listen, ring me, we’ll arrange for you to come and see Paco.’

‘I will. Good to see you both.’ She leaned across and kissed Sofia’s cheek in the Spanish way, then got up and walked to the door, pausing to tie on her headscarf. Harry watched her, but he was thinking, marriage. Could he dare take that leap? And would Sofia have him? He could find out more at the embassy, but first he must try to recruit Sandy; get Hillgarth’s feather in his cap.

Barbara opened the door. She turned and gave them a quick wave, then disappeared into the whirling snowflakes.