One Night Only (92 page)

“Here
’
s
t
o
goo
d
friend
s
an
d
t
o
secon
d
chances,
”
she
said
,
lookin
g
a
t
Rut
h
an
d
Gina
.
“Girls
,
w
e
hav
e
com
e
a
lon
g
wa
y
sinc
e
yesterda
y
an
d
I’
d
lik
e
t
o
rais
e
a
toas
t
to bot
h
o
f
yo
u
i
n
particula
r
.
Gina
,
you’r
e
a
ver
y
witt
y
,
very
beautifu
l
woma
n
wh
o
ha
s
s
o
muc
h
ahea
d
o
f
yo
u
no
w
that
y
o
u
h
av
e
mad
e
possibl
y
th
e
bravest
,
bigges
t
decisio
n
you wil
l
eve
r
hav
e
to
mak
e
i
n
you
r
life
,
but
yo
u
di
d
it,
girl!
Y
ou
di
d
it
!
An
d
look
at
that
smil
e
on
you
r
face
!
Long ma
y
it
last!
”

“Thanks
,
Poll
.
A
lo
t
o
f
it
’
s
dow
n
t
o
you
,
yo
u
kno
w
,” sai
d
Gina
.

“Oh
,
no
,
it
’
s
nothin
g
t
o
d
o
wit
h
m
e
a
t
all
.
Y
ou’r
e
an independent
,
stron
g
woman
,
whic
h
lead
s
m
e
nicel
y
o
n
to Ruth
.
Y
o
u
hav
e
reall
y
surprise
d
m
e
fo
r
th
e
bette
r
,
Ruth Monaghan.
”

“D
o
yo
u
alway
s
cal
l
m
e
b
y
m
y
ful
l
title?
”
aske
d
Ruth.
“
Y
es,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“An
d
alway
s
will
.
Bu
t
sto
p
interrupting
.

I
jus
t
wan
t
t
o
sa
y
tha
t
I
hop
e
w
e
ca
n
b
e
friend
s
fo
r
a
long time
.
Y
ou’r
e
a
change
d
perso
n
an
d
I
thin
k
it
’
s
enlightening t
o
se
e
tha
t
peopl
e
ca
n
chang
e
fo
r
th
e
bette
r
.
Y
o
u
have
becom
e
a
n
amazin
g
person
,
Ruth
.
I’
m
gla
d
yo
u
cam
e
back fro
m
London
.
Goo
d
luc
k
i
n
you
r
ne
w
lif
e
her
e
a
t
home an
d
le
t
tha
t
ric
h
bastar
d
whor
e
aroun
d
Londo
n
al
l
he wants
!
Y
o
u
ar
e
wa
y
to
o
goo
d
fo
r
hi
m
anyhow!
”

Rut
h
fanne
d
he
r
fac
e
thi
s
tim
e
an
d
looke
d
genuinely
touched
.
“
I
swea
r
,
Poll
y
W
oodhead
,
i
f
yo
u
mak
e
m
e
cry
I’l
l
neve
r
forgiv
e
you,
”
sh
e
said
.
“Poll
y
Knox
,
Poll
y
Knox,
I
mean
!
Sorry
!
Th
e
las
t
thin
g
I
wan
t
t
o
d
o
a
t
thi
s
stag
e
of th
e
evenin
g
i
s
rui
n
m
y
make-up!
”

“Fai
r
enough!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“I’l
l
shu
t
u
p
then.
”

“S
o
wha
t
abou
t
me?
”
aske
d
T
ess
.
“Ca
n
I
sa
y
a
quick
fe
w
word
s
befor
e
w
e
tuc
k
in
,
whic
h
we’
d
bette
r
d
o
very
soo
n
befor
e
thi
s
beautifu
l
feas
t
i
s
cold.
”

“Go
!
Go!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
He
r
Kin
g
Prawn
s
wer
e
beginning
t
o
win
k
a
t
he
r
.
She’
d
bette
r
ea
t
the
m
quickl
y
befor
e
they spok
e
t
o
he
r
o
r
go
t
u
p
an
d
walke
d
awa
y
.

“I’
d
lik
e
t
o
propos
e
a
toas
t
t
o
th
e
on
e
an
d
onl
y
.
.
.
Melanie
’
s
W
ay!
”
sai
d
T
es
s
an
d
th
e
girl
s
raise
d
thei
r
glasses
wit
h
extr
a
vigou
r
.

“
T
o
Melanie
’
s
W
ay!
”
the
y
chorused.

“A
s
m
y
mothe
r
use
d
t
o
sa
y
,
Go
d
bles
s
hi
s
littl
e
cotton socks!
”
sai
d
Gina
.