"Luke, honestly! In this day and age?"

"Well, some people still do. Anyway, I'm available if-if you like."

So there it was. In his own, dutiful, roundabout way, he had asked her to marry him. The temptation to seize the chance was mind-blowing. Why not? Other men had started from this point and made happy marriages. She took a deep breath.

But before she could say the words, Luke added, "Of course, I'll support you and the baby whatever happens."

And the moment was gone. He'd spoken just quickly enough to tell her what answer he was hoping for. He was a nice boy and he had a conscience. But conscience wasn't enough.

"Darling, you're sweet, honestly you are," she said with a laugh. "But people don't have to get married these days. Am I such a weakling that I can't look after a little baby without you?"

"Just thought I might have a place in the proceedings, Ms. Modern and Liberated."

"Mr. Solid and Reliable," she teased. "You don't want to turn out like Frank, do you?"

"Perish the thought!"

They talked for a while longer, and he promised to send her some money soon. Laughing, she wished him all the best. She knew she'd done well, sounding just right, cheerful, invincible, ready to tackle life with a song.

Then she hung up.

Then she sat staring at the dead telephone.

Then she locked herself in her room and sobbed until there were no tears left in all the world.

When the rest of the boarding house heard about the coming baby, they took her under their various wings. Every budding doctor in the place regarded this pregnancy as his or her special province. She left the Ritz and became Ma's permanent cook. This was a relief to everyone. Luke's departure had been a blow to more than Pippa.

Josie's birth was treated as a house event, and the other mothers in the maternity ward looked on in envy as visitors crowded around Pippa's bed. They even took bets as to which of the five young men would turn out to be the father.