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Father Brown had been gone for nearly 6 months, and although he wrote, the children missed him dreadfully. There had been a horrendous snowstorm in January and as Mrs McCarthy had camped in Sid’s room, and with Father Mulhearn in Beth’s the children had been sent to share Father Brown's room in the attic, Beth in the Fathers bed and Sid on the camp bed in the adjoining room. They had liked the situation with more room to play up there and Mrs McCarthy had judged they could stay for the time being.
It was the week after Easter and the school holidays would run to another fortnight, meaning Mrs McCarthy was somewhat at the end of her tether with them already, Sid had grown an extra couple of inches and Beth had caught some kind of throat infection during Holy Week and had spent it in bed. On Easter Sunday Father Mulhearn had announced his intention to take some time out for retreat and that another locum would be sought, this was news to Mrs McCarthy and had added to her woes as she now had to seek a locum, for the locum. She had been telling Father Mulhearn that finding a new locum on such short notice during a war was an impossible task and would he reconsider, when Beth and Sid had come downstairs in search of snacks and overheard the fateful words.
“Mrs McCarthy, it's one thing being asked to step in as a Parish Priest, but it is unacceptable that I am somehow a surrogate parent to a pair of rapscallion ragamuffins”. Beth had squeaked pushing her fist into her mouth, and Sid had turned a funny shade of red. “I frankly think it would be better for the parish as a whole if a willing orphanage was sought for them, or if Father Brown is really determined to keep the creatures some boarding school, whether reform or some other for the duration of the conflict”. Sid had taken the little girl's hand and dragged her out of the house into the garden away from the terrifying conversation, she had fresh silent tears falling from her eyes, and he stood in front of her all 4 months older and therefore ready to take charge of the situation.
“Well” he said standing to his full 11 year old height “I think we have to leave, for the good of the Parish” he nodded.
“Where will we go?” Beth looked up at him “I don’t have any family” she bit her lip “you have a Granny?”
“I’ll look after you” he said feeling braver than he felt “I’m streetwise” he nodded “I don’t think we ought to go to Southampton though, there's bombs there” he sat on the garden wall and she came and sat next to him “where's the depot where they sent Father?” he asked her
“It's called Horfield” she said “I think it's near Bristol?” she bit her lip “but he’s not there is he, he’s in North Africa?”
“They’ve bombed Bristol too” he thought hard “and I don’t suppose we’d get to Africa?”
“No” she shook her head “they haven’t bombed Oxford, Mrs Latham said it was because when the Germans invade they want to go to the University” she nodded “we could go to Oxford?”
“OK” he nodded “we’ll go to Oxford, there's bound to be work we can do” he looked at her “well work I can do, I won’t let you do anything proper illegal” he told her.
“I can pick a lock, you taught me” she smiled “and I can pick Mrs M’s pockets”
“Yes but that was for fun” he told her “I don’t want you ending up” he stopped “I’ll look after you”.
“When shall we go?” she asked
“After Mrs M leaves, we’ll sneak out after Father Mulhearn goes to bed” he nodded “do you know where Father keeps your savings book?” he asked and she shook her head “shame we could do with getting hold of some of your savings” he bit his lip “maybe we could leave an IOU and take some from the collection?”
“Oh, Mrs M will know and I could ask her to replace it with money from my savings” Beth nodded, “we’ll have to eat seconds at dinner, so we don’t get hungry” she told him taking his hand “and we’ll have to be very brave”.
“Yes” he nodded “but it's better than making hard work for Mrs M and we’ll come back when the War is over” he squeezed her hand “and we’ll stick together”.

They waited till Father Mulhearn had brushed his teeth, sitting on the staircase watching as he left the bathroom, they had packed their school bags with clean underwear and jumpers and a bear each, Sid wore his cap and Beth had a headscarf Mrs McCarthy had given her to play with wrapped around her hair, they wore their winter coats and wellingtons although they had put their gym shoes in their bags. As they got to the back door Sid carefully opened the door and ushered her outside. Between lunch and now he’d been to the barn and prepared their bicycles in her basket he had added some food and drink, and the first aid kit from the kitchen and on his he’d tied some tarp and Father’s toolbox. He also had the pick locking kit he’d kept secret from everyone but Beth since his arrival in Kembleford. He was determined they could survive till old enough to get proper jobs, even if he had to go and commit robbery to do so. Beth was tiny, and he needed to look after her, he had promised Father he would.
“Ready?” he asked as they wheeled their bikes out into the street, the blackout meaning they shouldn’t be seen leaving, but Sid had taken Father’s big walking map from the parlour and thought they had better start by going over onto the Montague Estate and then walking towards Standing following the bridleway just in case Inspector Valentine caught them.
“Yes” she nodded, climbing unsteadily onto her bicycle “do you think Mrs M will understand the note?” she asked. They had explained about the money Sid had borrowed, and asked them to take the money from Beth’s savings to replenish it, they had also made a comprehensive list of things they’d borrowed for the same reason, then explained for the good of the Parish as a whole they were leaving till the War was over, and they promised to try and be good. Leaving the note on Beth’s bed, thinking it was probably where Mrs McCarthy would be most worried.
“Hopefully” he climbed on his own bike “come on then” he pushed off and she followed through silent streets and down to the stone Bridge across the River Kemble where they could get onto the Montague Estate.

Mrs McCarthy was surprised when she came into the kitchen the next morning to find Father Mulhearn waiting patiently for breakfast and no Beth, Sid wouldn’t wake during the school holidays till either forced or his hunger bit too deeply, but Beth would normally wake hungry and start making toast like a thing possessed if not actively stopped.
“Father” Mrs McCarthy smiled “no Elizabeth?” she asked
“No” the Father looked around “no toast or paper or incessant chatter” he looked somewhat surprised “I haven’t seen her?”
“Oh” Mrs McCarthy put her handbag down, “I’ll just check she isn’t poorly, after that virus we should probably keep an eye on her, she hasn’t the best constitution, although I would have thought Sidney would be here if she was ill?” The Priest looked somewhat put out at not being served but watched her go silently as the matriarch bustled off up the stairs. She was surprised to find the children's door open, and no snoring or sound of play that usually accompanied their mornings, in fact she was surprised to find both rooms silent and empty, Sid's bed unusually tidy and no toys scattered across the floor, she went to Beth’s bed and found the little handwritten note. She read it, putting her hand to her heart and fighting back a mixture of terror and tears. Just 11 they had decided to run away as not to be a burden to the parish, she read the encyclopaedic list of the items they had “borrowed” hearing Sid’s logical lateral brain working through things they’d need and Beth's obsessive need to be good in her itemisation and plea that they take her savings to cover costs of replacements. She walked down the stairs wondering what to do first.
“Are they ill?” Father Mulhearn asked
“They’ve run away from home” Mrs McCarthy told him “they overheard our conversation yesterday and thought it prudent to leave for the good of the Parish”.
“Oh” he nodded “how considerate” he smiled.
“THEY ARE 11” she shouted “now I am going to go and see Inspector Valentine, and you are going to check the barn to see if they’ve taken their bicycles and then you are going to phone the train station and ask if anyone has seen them”.
“I haven’t had any breakfast?” he told her
“And you won’t get any in this house until those two angels are home” she told him, grabbing her handbag.
“Hardly angels” Father Mulhearn stood up and stretched.

Inspector Valentine was, much to Mrs McCarthy’s relief, much more receptive to the issue of her runaways than he had been three years earlier when Sid had run away. She hoped it wasn’t because of The Honourable Miss Elizabeth Fane being missing, and was because he genuinely cared that two eleven year olds had absconded into the night, but she was a realist. He read their letter with some wry amusement “well I have to say this is a very thorough list for two eleven year olds Mrs McCarthy?” he told her.
“They are very clever children Inspector, and Sidney, well he’s very practical really, and Elizabeth is a Girl Guide”.
“I can ask at the station, and send some men out along the roads” he read the letter again “but without an idea where they are going, Sidney had a Grandmother I seem to remember?”
“Yes, but he won’t go there” Mrs McCarthy explained “because of the bombing” she explained how paranoid he was of the bombs that had destroyed his old home, and how he’d had nightmares about bombs falling on them.
“So you don’t think they’d head to London?” he asked “Sidney was a street kid, he might still have” he hesitated over the word “contacts”.
“In the time he has lived in Kembleford, have you ever arrested him?” she paused “for something he’s actually done?”
“No” he smiled “Mrs McCarthy, you have me convinced that Sidney is a good boy at heart, and with this last Winter” he paused remembering the tiny coffins in the frozen church “well I’m sure he’s been a great help, but the truth is the boy has an unsavory past and may have just reverted to type?”
“And what about Elizabeth? Are you saying she isn’t worth looking for?” The Parish secretary asked archly.
“We will look for the children Mrs McCarthy” Valentine sat back and lit a cigarette “but it's worth saying you should probably not get your hopes up, it's unlikely we’ll find them” he paused “they may well just decide to come home on their own but” he looked at the letter again “they seem rather prepared” he sighed “where is Father Brown currently stationed?”
“North Africa” Mrs McCarthy threw up her hands “I suppose I’m supposed to try and find two small children lost in the world” she gave him a hard look “no wonder you haven’t solved a case since Father Brown left”. She stalked out of the room fighting the urge to cry.

“If we stop and camp during the day” Sid told her, pulling their bikes into a clearing “we’re less likely to get spotted.”
“Camp?” she asked “We haven’t got a tent?”
He smirked and patted his bicycle, “Father taught me how to make a bivouac, didn’t they teach you at Girlguides?”
“Oh” she smiled “how clever you are”
“Yes” he readjusted his hat “there's a little shelter up this track me and Eddie Gerard found, and we could hide there for now”.
He led her further into the woods to a small tumbledown shelter, hiding their bicycles he took her hand, and she bit her lip “we can hide here?” she asked, “it's safe?”
“Course” he smirked “have I ever lied to you?” she shook her head “trust me then, you need to get the rope I put in your basket then find some big rocks” she nodded again and he tried to smile reassuringly “greater good” he told her.
“Greater good,” she replied.
He rigged the bivouac inside the stone walls and covered it with branches and bracken, “see cosy?”
“I’m scared” she said quietly “you won’t leave me here?”
“No” he laughed “I intend to sleep till its late again and then move on, like a commando”
“Ok” she nodded, crawling inside the little tent, and starting to arrange their two blankets and bags into two beds.
“I’ll sleep by the entrance” he nodded “and then you’ll be safe” he climbed in next to her making his own little nest.
“Do you think Father Mulhearn will stay now we’ve gone?” she asked, bringing her blanket closer.
“Hopefully” Sid took her hand in his “and Mrs M won’t need to worry anymore”.

Mrs McCarthy was at the end of her tether by the time night came, there was no sign of the children and the idea that they would spend another night somewhere unsafe, she had heard wicked stories of small children coming to harm, of desperate men hiding in the woods and the idea that her two charges were out somewhere on their own, gave her chills. She thought desperately of trying to get hold of Father Brown, far away on the African Front and she wanted to cry. She was so angry with Inspector Valentine that he didn’t take it seriously, angry with Father Mulhearn for being dismissive, angry with Father Brown for leaving, angry with the children for running, angry with herself for not having them to live at her house and finally really angry at that horrible Mr Hitler.

She made her way back to the Police Station, to once again prevail upon Inspector Valentine to look for the children, she was therefore in some luck she thought to find the Dowager Countess of Montague there, complaining rather loudly that Valentine was not doing anything about the crime wave affecting Kembleford.
“Isn’t it awful Mrs McCarthy?” The old lady turned “My son is working for the war effort with his good lady wife, my house half invaded by strangers, and my dahlia corms…stolen!”
“Oh My lady, that's awful!” Mrs McCarthy nodded “and you know Father Brown's wards have run off and the Inspector says he won’t look” she seized on the opportunity.
“The children, those small children have run away and you won’t look, Valentine?” The Dowager asked “despicable, come Bridget, we will arrange for the men on the village to look if our police can’t be bothered”
“Now, Lady Montague” Valentine started “it's not that we can’t be bothered”
“Well then what is it, because they are orphans, or live with a priest?” The Dowager asked “when I think of those poor babes out there in the dark” she lifted her head “HORNBY?” she called.
“Ma’am” the long suffering Butler appeared in the doorway
“Hornby we are going to arrange a search of the village and our land for Father Brown’s orphans,” the Dowager told him “you are welcome to join us Valentine” she said stalking out, followed by Mrs McCarthy while Valentine looked at the report in his hand and then incredulously at the door.

After 2 hours cycling along the Oxford road, Beth was flagging and they stopped on the side of the road to finish the snacks they had stolen from the Presbytery.
“I’m tired” she nodded “I’m sorry I’m lagging behind”.
“Its OK I’m not leaving you behind” he told her leaning on the wall behind him, he looked up at the moon “its bright still, and I reckon we’re about halfway there I think this is Witney”
“Then we go to Binsey?” she asked “where we went with Father to see the Holy Well?”
“Yep we can be safe there till tomorrow, and then we’ll have to find somewhere to stay more permanently” he nodded “don’t look scared, there's always places to stay” he bit his lip “I won’t leave you alone, but you don’t go anywhere without me OK?”
“OK” she nodded. “You're scared I might get hurt aren’t you?” she asked
“You’re tiny” he looked at her “of course I am” he laughed “also, I don’t care if I get nicked, but well, if you do Father Brown will kill me”.
“I can be streetwise” she nodded “and we’ve been runaway for 26 hours and I haven’t cried”
“No you’ve been very brave” he smirked “but cities are different, and if we’re going to survive…”
“Oh I know” she nodded “I understand, I’ll keep out of trouble” he took her hand and swallowed then pressed his lips hesitantly against hers, making her eyes pop wide open in surprise “SID!” she shrieked “you kissed me?”
“Yeah” he grinned, “can I do it again?”
“Yes, please” she grinned back, and he did again, less hesitantly noticing she closed her eyes and smelt of strawberries and his lips felt weirdly dry and he didn’t know what to do with his hands so he held hers, and then she pulled her head away. “Why did you kiss me?”
“I’ve never kissed a girl before, and well, I thought, if I was going to be a grown up” he nodded.
“Oh” she bit her lip “I’ve never kissed a boy before, are we grown ups now then?”
“Probably not, but, well, you know I’ll have to look after you now” he grinned “you're my girl”.
“Are you scared?” she asked
“Terrified” he nodded “but we’ll get to Binsey and rest, and tomorrow we’ll go into the city” he took her hand again and kissed her for the final time “and I’ll look after you”.
“I do love you Sid” she smiled “I know you will”.

Two hours later they found their way thanks to Father’s map to the hamlet of Binsey, they had been here during the summer of 1940 when the Father had taken them to show them the sacred well of St Frideswald and St Margaret's Chapel. The children knew there was a nice wood and it would be safe for the night, this had been their plan and now they were here, the old church didn’t look as friendly as St Mary’s.
“We’ll be safe here” Sid promised her nodding “Father Says there's nothing scary in old churches, because God lives there”
“I hope he won’t mind us camping here then” she said, squeezing his hand. They pulled their bicycles into the wood behind the old church and carefully set their tent up as they had the night before, carefully setting up their little beds against the churchyard wall covered snuggly with their bivouac. “I need my bear” she told him “I’m scared”.
“Yeah” he nodded “I’ve got mine” he smiled “come and give me a cuddle” he wriggled closer “should we go home and let them send us to orphanages?” he asked, unsure himself now.
“If you want” she sniffed “I don’t want to go to an orphanage though, I’d rather stick together” she sniffed again “I want Father home and go back to the way things were?”
“Me too” he smiled “try and sleep, you’re tired” he told her, wriggling so his head was on his rucksack, and their blankets covered them both, teddy bears clasped in their hands.
“Don’t leave me here will you?” she asked, suddenly terrified.
“No, we stick together, remember?”

The search was called off at Montague just before midnight, they couldn’t use torches and the moon which had been so bright and helpful before was clouding over, so the men of the estate and some from the village who had been roped in to help, agreed to come back out in the morning to look. What they had found was a little makeshift camp up in the woods, and no sign of where the children might have gone after that.
“If Sidney doesn’t want to be found Mrs McCarthy, we won’t find him” Valentine reminded her again as he dropped her home.
“He’s just a little boy inspector, not a master criminal” she scolded “if they aren’t found by the morning I will phone the Fathers regiment, he can’t, I can’t let him….he has to be told”.
“I’ve spoken to my colleagues in Gloucester and Oxford if the children do get arrested, they will inform us”.
“And if they don’t?” Mrs McCarthy asked, Valentine just grimaced.

Sid could hear something moving beyond their tarpaulin wall, and suddenly he was fully awake, he grasped the hand of the girl next to him, and realised she was also wide awake quaking with fear. He passed over his bear and pressed his fingers to his lips, pulling her closer so she was pressed close to his body as the footsteps, the adult footsteps came closer. He could hear a mumbling voice now deep, between them and the wood was an adult man, he could see it was past dawn by the light coming through the material.
“Hullo?” The deep singsong voice called “got yourself a right camp here haven’t you?”
Sid pushed Beth slightly backwards, and crawled out alone to face the man. He was tall, and lightly grey with a huge pair of eyebrows and the wistful dreamy look Sid saw regularly on Father Brown's face, but he was a man carrying a stick and Sid breathed in hard, ready to defend himself and his friend. “Oh” the man seemed surprised to find a little boy “thought you was going to be one of these AWOLlies” he laughed “what's this you boys out on a scouting badge?”
“Sorry, are we trespassing?” Sid asked “we came here with our Father before he went to war, and thought we’d be OK to camp here?”
“Oh no idea young man” the gent smiled “I’m probably trespassing myself, I’m here looking at the well” he looked at Sid “do I know your father, you look familiar” he smiled “Hilary Ambrose” he put out his hand.
“Your professor Ambrose?” Sid started and then stopped, that wasn’t the plan, but he’d been so surprised to find Father Brown’s friend he had blurted it out. He turned as he heard Beth crawling out beside him clutching both bears to her chest.
“Oh hello?” the Professor smiled “I do know you, your Brown’s orphans aren’t you?” he laughed “Must be hard for you with him away fighting the hun?” he looked at their tent, “you haven’t runaway?”
“Yes” Beth squeaked and Sid closed his eyes against her stupidity “we are a burden to the Parish” she nodded “so we’ve decided not to be anymore”.
“And what do you think Old Brown will say when he gets home from war and finds you’ve scarpered?”
“We’ll go back when the war is over” Sid nodded “we have a plan”.
“Really and your plan is to live here is it?” Ambrose asked chuckling
“Oh no” Beth shook her head “we’re going to Oxford, to find jobs” Sid gave her a hard look and she hid behind her bears.
“And what kind of work can you do?” Ambrose asked and looked at Sid “you're the pickpocket aren’t you, if I remember correctly?” he smirked “the Artful Dodger?” he shook his head “well I haven’t use for a pickpocket but come back with me to Oxford and I can certainly find some work for you to do, and probably let your Parish know you are safe, do you not think they’ll be worried?”
“Thank you Sir” Beth nodded “but I thought you lived in Clopton?”
“I do, but I’m working at the Bod at the moment, and I always need runners for the stacks you understand?” Neither child understood any of those words but nodded regardless.
“Thank you” Sid nodded, reaching back for Beth “we stick together though” he told the man “I won’t leave her alone?”
“Of course not, very sensible” Ambrose smiled “pack up your kit then, and let's find you some breakfast”
“BREAKFAST” both children squeaked and Ambrose chuckled.

It was lunchtime when the phone rang in the Presbytery and Father Mulhearn answered it.
“St Mary’s Kembleford?” he answered “Priest speaking”
“Father Mulhearn, its Sid”
“Oh” The Priest looked around for Mrs McCarthy.
“Is Mrs M there?” Sid asked
“No, would you like to leave a message?”
“Oh, yes tell her we’re staying with Professor Ambrose he has some work for us at the Bodleian, that's a massive library in Oxford, and not to worry”
“I know what the Bodleian is young man” Father Mulhearn grimaced, “I suppose you don’t intend to return?”
“No, so you can stay and look after the Parish” Sid told him “thank you” and he hung up.
Father Mulhearn put the phone down and shook his head well that was one problem he no longer had to deal with, he looked back at his homily, the praised and blessed miracle of Fatima.

Ambrose watched the children carefully carrying his papers and books across the room, he’d explained to the Librarian that they were a friend's children, whose Father was at war and he’d offered to keep them busy. They had both sworn the oath solemnly and seemed happy to have an occupation for the afternoon. He wondered briefly what he would do with them this evening but for now they seemed happy enough, which was about right considering the amount of bread and jam they’d put away between them. He had wondered about his friend taking on small children, especially during the war, but he had told him God would provide, so to find them out lost in the world again seemed a little harsh, he wondered what Father Brown had been thinking leaving them unprotected, but he reasoned, knowing the man well, he had relied on the inherent kindness and goodness of people. However Ambrose had seen it himself since the war had turned darker and privation had hit, peoples hearts had seemingly hardened and his own now ached for his friend who had no doubt left the country believing his charges safe and cared for on the back of any respect people held for himself, how he would feel to know that trust had been broken.

Mrs McCarthy looked over at the Presbytery as she walked back to her house, wondering whether she should just go and check whether the children had returned but knowing they wouldn’t have. She would have to try and get a message to Father Brown tomorrow, and she needed to have a cup of tea and to settle her mind. He’d trusted her to keep them safe, and they had run off, she thought they were happy and secure at the Presbytery, but obviously they had picked up on the stress and sweet and considerate they’d tried to make it better, and unknowingly made it so much worse.

The knocking on her door shocked Mrs McCarthy from the Sorrowful mysteries and she hurried to the door to find Father Mulhearn standing there.
“Oh Father, any news?”
“No” he shook his head “and I haven’t had any dinner?”
“Neither have I Father, but I don’t see why you are telling me?”
“Nobody has fed me Mrs McCarthy?”
“Father, I am the Parish secretary not the housekeeper nor the cook?” she told him “I suggest you either hire one, or ask Mrs McCreedy” she went to close the door.
“You feed the children” he whined a little ridiculously.
“They are children, and both of them are capable of making themselves breakfast, lunch and dinner” she huffed and added “and they aren’t here” and slammed the door. “That man,” she sniffed. On returning to her sitting room she got her writing paper and a pen out of the sideboard and sat at her table. “Dear Father Brown….” she started.

Professor Ambrose watched the children carefully making little beds out the sofa in his office sitting room. He wasn’t quite sure how small they were, the boy certainly seemed older than his years, but the teddy bears they carried and the huge wide eyes, and tiny heights had him quite confused. Not naturally drawn to children he hadn’t spent very much time with them, and his friend always spoke about them as if they were quite young. He watched as the girl followed the boy's instructions, as if taking orders from a superior, as if she was listening to great wisdom when he spoke, and he wondered how long since they’d left Kembleford. They had been slightly grimy when he’d met them, but they had washed their hands and faces at the first opportunity. He remembered his friend's Parish Secretary and realised that was probably ingrained in the pair. He was somewhat surprised he hadn’t heard from the woman since the boy's phone call, but the boy had told him they were unwanted and it made Ambrose sad to think that might actually be the case. He wished them goodnight and left them to bunk down on his floor, taking his book to his own room, thinking he would have to find a permanent solution for them before long.

“Beth?” Sid asked “if I left you here with Ambrose would you stay till I came back?”
“If you promise to come back?” she turned to look at him “you promised you wouldn’t leave me, that we’d stick together?”
“We will, but it's not fair to ask Ambrose to look after us, and he can’t really afford to look after us, but I could get us some money, and if I could leave you safe, if I could be sure you’d stay here and be safe…”
“Not tonight” she interrupted “don’t leave me tonight” she asked “please.” She pulled her cushion bed closer so she could take his hand “I understand, I do, and I know what you think you could go and do, but don’t leave me now”
“I won’t” he smiled “not if you don’t want me to, but you aren’t scared of Ambrose are you?”
“No and I’ll stay if you tell me to” she told him “but” she laughed “I feel like Calpurnia warning Caesar not to go to the Senate, but I’m horribly frightened if you go out tonight I’ll never see you again”.
“Oh” Sid looked at her “I won’t then” he snuggled down again “Father said I had to look after you, and I will you know?”
“I know” she curled up close to his side her bear clasped in one arm his hand in her other hand “goodnight Sid”
“Night Beth”

Mrs McCarthy was at the Presbytery very early the next morning, and Father Mulhearn was surprised to find her in the study.
“Mrs McCarthy?” The priest asked “and what are we doing this morning, rearranging the finances and hiring a cook?” He was grumpy and she didn’t have time for him.
“I am trying to find the information Father Brown left in case of emergency” she told him.
“Why?” he asked
“Because the children are missing?” Mrs McCarthy told him “and he needs to know”
“I’m sure they are fine in Oxford” he told her and she froze, turning to him.
“What did you say?” she pulled herself up to her full height and gazed angrily at him “how do you know they are in Oxford?” she asked dangerously quietly.
“Erm the boy phoned yesterday morning” he said “didn’t think it was important, they said they were fine, with someone called Ambrose?”
Mrs McCarthy quivered for a moment, tempted to punch the man, instead she turned tail and walked out of the building.

Valentine groaned when he saw Mrs McCarthy, especially when he saw the look on her face “Mrs McCarthy”
“The Children are with Professor Ambrose somewhere in Oxford and I need you to find out where that is?”
“I can do that,” Valentine nodded “but how do you know?”
“They phoned”
“Well if they….”
“Father Mulhearn didn’t tell me, they phoned yesterday morning, and, Oh Inspector please”
“Sergeant” Valentine looked at Sergeant Albright “track down Professor Hilary Ambrose, some university college in Oxford, and get me an address”.

Valentine drove Mrs McCarthy to Oxford, and Montague College where Ambrose was currently residing. She was quivering with anger and despair, and Valentine who was trying to be patient, knowing to a certain extent he should have found the children quicker than a middle aged secretary, was losing what little control he had so that by the time he parked the police car, and Mrs McCarthy shot out, he was considering leaving her there. His duty won out, and he walked to the porter with her.
“Professor Hilary Ambrose” she cried at the porter “where is he?”
“Professor Ambrose has gone to the Bod” The porter told her.
“Did he have two children with him?” Valentine asked through gritted teeth.
“No Sir” the porter shook his head and Mrs McCarthy made a small noise of despair “but he came home with two last night, and asked me to keep an eye on them this morning, I think they’re in his rooms?”
“Oh” Mrs McCarthy looked up and Valentine found his warrant card.
“Show us” he sighed.

The porter opened the door into the stuffy little garret, the blackout blinds still in place, little snuffling snores came from the floor, in a pile of blankets and cushions where picked out in the light of the doorway the children were cuddled head to head, teddy bears clasped and their entwined hands gripped. Valentine breathed out, they were safe and unharmed and he noticed seemingly unconcerned with their audience.
“SIDNEY CARTER, ELIZABETH FANE WAKE UP!” Mrs McCarthy shouted.
Sid’s head shot up, his arms coming around Beth so she confusedly found herself shoved behind him, he blinked confused at the woman.
“Mrs M?” he asked stupidly
“Oh you naughty pair, I’ve been worried sick, how dare you….”
“Mrs McCarthy?” Beth asked “I thought you didn’t want us anymore?”
“Oh Elizabeth” Mrs McCarthy bustled over and picked the little girl up for a hug “Sidney, you are both so loved, I’ve been so worried” she pulled the boy into the hug as well. “Now tidy all this up and pack your bags, you’re coming home”.
“But Father Mulhearn will leave, and you will have to find another priest?” Sid told her.
“Then so be it” Mrs McCarthy told him “you two belong in Kembleford, Father Mulhearn does not”. She looked at the policeman still standing in the doorway “you can go and find Professor Ambrose and tell him I’m taking the children home, and then you can take us back to Kembleford”.
“Our bikes?” Sid asked her and Mrs McCarthy looked at him for a moment.
“Inspector?”
“Yes Mrs McCarthy?” Valentine sighed heavily “you can arrange for us to get the train back to Kembleford”.
“Of course Mrs McCarthy” he gave the porter a withering smile and lit a cigarette as he stalked off to find a Professor in the Bodleian.

Mrs McCarthy pushed the children towards the stairs the moment they got back to the presbytery. “You both need baths” she told them and don’t come back down till you are clean and in pyjamas, then you can have something to eat and then bed”
“Mrs McCarthy?” they whined
“No arguments” she told them, stalking back to the kitchen where Father Mulhearn sat stoney faced “Now Father, I will make sure they are up and ready for school each morning, and check they have eaten and I will do my usual work, and then make sure they do their homework, have dinner and go to bed” she told him “but I do not have the room for them at my house, and this is their home, so they will be staying right here, do we have an understanding?”
“Mrs McCarthy” he started
“Father Brown required a locum to look after his flock, well those are two lambs, and your role here is pastoral care, therefore, I expected you to treat them as such. I do not need you to provide a parental role, but I do expect you to perform a priestly one”.
“I don’t think…”
“Father Mulhearn please understand I am not requesting” she turned away.

“Sid?” Beth was sitting outside the bathroom when he came out, wrapped in her towel.
“You’ll catch your death” he told her “go and get your jammies on”
“You won’t tell Mrs McCarthy you kissed me will you?” she asked, standing up and starting to climb the stairs.
“You think I’ve gone crazy?” he asked “no why?” They got to their attic and she stopped and pressed her lips against his, closing her eyes where his remained studiously open. “Beth?” He pushed her lightly away.
“I’m worried she’ll decide to send us away afterall, if she thought, well”
“Oh” he smirked “we’re 11 Beth, I’m not gonna marry you am I?” he laughed “not till we’re grown ups”.
“You’ll marry me when we’re grown ups?” she asked
“Yeah, who else?” he laughed as she climbed on to her bed and he started searching through the dresser for his pajamas. “I reckon we did alright on our own didn’t we?” he turned away as she put her pyjama bottoms on “so when we are grown ups, and we have proper jobs, it’ll be a doddle this married thing”.
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” she asked “I’ve never asked?”
“Mechanic” he said “I want a garage with loads of cars, and an inspection pit” he told her “I know you want to be an astrophysicist because you keep telling me”. He pulled his pajama bottoms on and they came up several inches too short “I’ve grown again” he told her.
“I know” she nodded “you’re taller than you were at Easter, Mrs M will measure you again” she reached for her own pyjama top “do you think Father Mulhearn will stay?”
“Dunno, I think that's why Mrs M sent us up here to tell him off” he laughed “poor man, hey you are gonna keep kissing me right?”
“If you want” she giggled, “as long as you don’t tell anyone, I don’t want a reputation” she nodded, pulling her pyjama top over her head.
He gave her a hard look and came and stood at the end of the bed “I will protect you, including your reputation, as long as I live” he put his hand on his heart “stick together us”?
“Stick together,” she nodded.