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practise.’
    ‘Interview?’ Annie frowned.
    ‘You know, the volunteer NGO job? I told you.’ Lucy looked a bit put out that her mother hadn’t remembered. ‘Which is great, but I’m hopeless at interviews. I get so nervous my voice shakes. Will you go through the sort of things they might ask? You know, coach me?’
    Annie’s heart sank. She knew her youngest was hell bent on saving every child in Africa. It had started in her teens when she watched a documentary about AIDS orphans. She and Richard had been sure it was just a phase, but Lucy had gone on to choose a degree in Social Anthropology at SOAS, and was now utterly committed to working in an African orphanage.
    ‘Of course.’ She paused. ‘But you don’t think Dad would be better qualified to help? I’ve never been for a proper interview in my life. Mother secured all my jobs.’
    ‘I suppose that was one of the advantages of your posh upbringing.’
    ‘Hmmm. Well, without sounding like a brat, it certainly didn’t seem like an advantage at the time because it was always the job that Mother thought would be suitable. I didn’t have any say.’
    ‘Couldn’t you tell her you didn’t want to do it?’
    ‘I suppose the problem was that at that stage I didn’t know what I wanted to do. If I had, I’m sure I’d have stood up to her.’ She didn’t add that, at the time, she had lost all confidence in herself, that she hadn’t cared much what she did, as long as it was something that stopped her having too much time to think about the baby.
    Lucy was silent for a minute, then said, ‘You know I really appreciate you and Dad not trying to stop me going to Africa, Mum?’
    Annie smiled. ‘You shouldn’t thank us. We would if we could.’ In fact Richard had broken out in a sweatwhen he thought of his precious daughter in such a potentially dangerous environment. ‘She’ll be all on her own. She’s sure to be kidnapped, or killed … I can’t bear to think what else.’ But Annie, no more sanguine than her husband about the danger, but considerably more realistic when it came to Lucy’s determination, convinced him there was nothing either of them could do to stop her.
    ‘Yeah, I know,’ Lucy said. ‘And that’s why I love it that you’re supporting me.’ She paused. ‘God, I can’t imagine you telling me what work I should do.’
    ‘No, well, different times.’
    ‘So will you help me? You’ve interviewed loads of people for the bakery – you must know what makes you take one person over another. And Dad’ll just get hysterical and say dumb things about how there are lots of children in this country who need saving.’
    ‘He’s probably right.’
    ‘Don’t start!’ Lucy began gathering up the stack of papers on the table. ‘I’d better get going, I’m going to be late. Can we do it tonight? Just grill me a bit so I get my courage up?’
    Annie nodded.
    ‘This is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do, Mum. It might be hard, but I have to go. It means everything to me.’
    Her earnest face, with the brown eyes full of compassion and missionary zeal, tore at her mother’s heart.
    ‘No, I know, darling. But we’re your parents. We worry.’
    Lucy shook her head in amused despair, and waved goodbye to her mother.

4
    Dear Tom,
    I know you are called Daniel now, and I shall call you that from now on, but Tom was the name I gave you when you were born. I am writing to say that I would be very happy to meet you. If you are still keen, I suggest we do so at the house of Marjory Best, the lady who took me in when I was pregnant with you and who’s happy to host our meeting. She lives in Kent, about eight miles from Canterbury, and her nearest station is Faversham. I don’t know where you live, but I hope this isn’t too inconvenient for you. I thought it would be better to meet there than in a noisy public place.
    I have suggested two o’clock on Saturday April 27th to Marjory. I hope these arrangements suit you, Daniel,