The Fortune Tellers' Secret

by Maggie Mason

Genres: Marriage & Divorce; World War I; Sagas; Women's Fiction

Synopsis

THE BRAND-NEW WARTIME SAGA SERIES BY MAGGIE MASON - PERFECT FOR FANS OF ROSIE GOODWIN, VAL WOOD AND KITTY NEALE

BLACKPOOL, 1922.
Martha and Trisha may have escaped poverty, but their fortunes have yet to turn. Blissfully happy on her wedding day, Trisha's new fairy-tale romance soon darkens as her husband, Walter, keeps her at arms length. Between his secrecy, and her mother-in-law's coldness , Trisha feels a stranger in her own home, and lonelier than ever...

Meanwhile a spectre from Martha's past threatens the happiness she has found with Joshua and Bonnie. When she is called to help in her past love's hour of need, she must decide whether to risk exposing a secret that could cost her the trust of her daughter...

With winter fast approaching, Martha and Trisha take warmth and comfort in the strength of their friendship. But will Martha's gift of foresight be enough to see them through?

Following on from the events of The Fortune Tellers, this heart-warming family saga can be enjoyed as a standalone story, too.

If you love this story, don't miss the next book The Fortune Tellers' Daughters.

Release date: October 26, 2023

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Print pages: 80000

Sample

The June sunshine streamed through the windows as Trisha stood in front of the long mirror that she’d bought from Second-hand Lil’s shop especially for today – her wedding day.

Turning this way and that, she sighed as she looked at herself in the beautiful ivory gown. Sweeping the floor as she moved, her wedding gown had a sheen that caught the light, making it shimmer. The style – fitted, then spraying out at the hemline – suited her slender body. Eeh, lass, it’s like you’re a queen, she told herself, then shook her head. Me second wedding, and still not a bride in white, but then, me first were a shotgun wedding!

This thought filled her with pain for a moment as she remembered the violence Bobby used against her and how it ultimately caused her to lose their unborn child.

The bedroom door opened, and her five-year-old daughter Sally came bursting in.

‘Look at me, Ma! I’m a princess!’

As she watched Sally dancing around the room, Trisha felt so grateful to her future husband for accepting Sally as his own. And for loving them both.

Walter’s love was full of kindness, and thoughtfulness. He was always romantic, bringing her presents and complimenting her, calling her beautiful, when she knew she wasn’t. Attractive, yes. At least, when she smiled, as then her long face became more rounded, and her hazel eyes lit up. Her mousy-coloured hair was nothing special, though it did shine, especially in the sunshine when golden strands were picked out. And she loved her new bobbed hairstyle. It suited her – cut to chin-length and with a fringe.

She sighed as she thought that for all Walter’s loving ways, he’d never made love to her since he’d become her man two years ago. Many times she’d wondered why. It wasn’t as if she was a virgin. And why the long wait to marry her? Sometimes she’d thought he would never ask. And yet he was caring and kind in how he treated her and her little Sally.

They’d met when he’d tended her first husband Bobby in his last days. A specialist doctor, Walter’s handsome face was marred by him having to wear bottle-bottom glasses, as she thought of the thick lenses that gave Walter sight.

‘Ma, Ma, you’ve gone inside your head again!’

‘Ha! I knaw. It’s a day for doing that as memories keep visiting me . . . By, me little lass, you do look like a princess!’

Sally gave a twirl. Her long pale blue satin dress floated around her.

‘Aw, lass, I need one of your hugs.’

Clinging on to her child – the saviour of her and the light of her life – Trisha took this moment to shrug off the past, though she allowed her beautiful long-departed ma and da to stay with her. The rest she let go of, determined to look to the future, which, to her, looked full of happiness.

Releasing Sally, she asked, ‘Where’s Aunty Martha and Bonnie?’

‘They’re in me bedroom. Oh, Aunty Martha looks like a princess, like you, Ma, and Bonnie looks like me!’

Trisha laughed at this as she thought that it wasn’t possible for her to look as beautiful as her adored friend, Martha, with her lovely long red hair that hung in ringlets, and her beautiful green-blue eyes – all-seeing eyes, as Martha had inherited her gypsy ancestors’ ability to see into the future. Known as the Fortune Teller, Martha had helped so many people, and yet knew secrets that gave her pain as she saw what was to befall those she loved. Though sometimes she blocked these, as she said she can tell fortunes but not change people’s destiny.

As if these thoughts conjured Martha up, she came through the door. ‘Oh, me darling Trish, it is beautiful that you are, for sure.’

Trisha laughed as she went into Martha’s open arms. ‘Will I do, lass?’

‘You will, me darling.’

The hug dispelled the last traces of the fingers of sadness that had clung to Trisha, despite her trying to brush them away. Life was going to be different now. Walter was different. She had no need to be sad any more. Memories could be made of good things, they didn’t always have to be dwelling on the bad.

As they came out of the hug, Martha stood back. ‘I’m for saying meself, so I am, but that frock is for sure the very best garment I ever made in me life! You truly are for looking beautiful, Trish.’

As they looked into each other’s eyes Martha’s clouded. Then, there it was, the shudder that told Trish Martha didn’t like what she’d seen with her mind’s eye.

Not wanting to know, Trisha laughed out loud. ‘Now, don’t be having ghosts walk over your grave today, Martha. It’s the best day in me life.’

‘It is, me darling, and I see nothing but happiness for you.’

Trisha doubted this, but whatever would be, would be. She just wanted to be wed to Walter. To know that it was true that such a man wanted her – a Blackpool lass who’d never had much until the day Martha, fleeing from the Troubles in Ireland with her granny, came to live next door to her in Enfield Road and changed her life.

As from that moment, they had supported each other through the loss of loved ones, the war years, and having daughters out of wedlock. But they’d won through.

Martha had given up telling fortunes on the promenade and they’d set up a business together making and selling baby layettes.

‘Come on, me darling, Josh is waiting downstairs. It is that he is looking handsome in his black suit, and I’m for falling in love with him all over again!’

‘I didn’t knaw you’d fell out of love with him!’

Martha’s lovely tinkling laughter filled the bedroom. ‘No, to be sure, that will never happen.’

Joshua, Martha’s lovely, gentle husband, stood at the bottom of the stairs as Trisha went down from the flat above their layette shop, where she’d lived since losing the home she was born in, in Enfield Road, his smile lighting up his handsome face. ‘My, you look beautiful, Trisha. Walter’s a lucky man.’

Taking his arm, Trisha could only grin. It was she who was the lucky one, she thought. She’d never dreamed she could love again, or be loved, but here she was about to begin an exciting journey, if only her nerves would settle, and she could stop worrying about fitting in and not letting Walter down.

Today was going to be the first time she’d met Walter’s parents, which she felt was unfair, and couldn’t understand – unless Walter really was ashamed of her. Though he’d said it was because he couldn’t get enough time off to take her up to Cleator Moor in Cumbria where they lived, and where Walter had been born.

And yet, there were many times that he went alone to Manchester to meet up with friends he’d made whilst training at a hospital there. Her heart quickened as they were another reason her nerves were on edge – she would meet them for the first time too. What would they think of her?

Suddenly, with these thoughts, Walter seemed like a stranger to her, and what lay ahead – the intimate side of marriage – made her nerves jangle even more. It had been such a long time since a man had made love to her. The last time was with Bobby.

Changed after the loss of their child, he’d been gentle and loving, instead of rough and demanding, whilst she’d been cold and unforgiving of his violent past, pretending to enjoy it for the sake of peace.

What would it be like to be made love to by Walter? He’d only ever kissed her and hugged her – she couldn’t even remember him caressing her. And yet she loved him with all her heart and so wanted to be his.

Sensing her distress, Martha touched her arm. ‘Sure, everything is going to be all right, me darling.’

With this, Trisha knew a confidence to enter her. Everything would be fine. Men brought up how Walter had been – posh school, then university and medical school – would always behave gentlemanly, wouldn’t they?

‘Ready, love?’ Joshua smiled down on her. ‘The trusted Arthur awaits you outside with his carriage to take you to your future husband. And he’s a very lucky man.’

Everything happened in a whirl after that. The sound of the horse’s hooves as they trotted along the promenade, the Blackpool visitors waving to her as she passed and shouting ‘good luck’, and then a smiling Walter, who greeted her at the altar, clutching her hand to reassure her.

Before she knew it, she’d said her vows and listened to Walter affirming his and was gliding down the aisle of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Blackpool, only yards from the seafront.

Once outside, Trisha gasped as a braying of donkeys could be heard vying with the church bells.

‘Eeh, Walter, ain’t that a sight, eh?’

Walter looked on astonished as Trisha, closely followed by Sally and Bonnie, ran towards her beloved donkeys congregated at the church gates with their owner, Benny, who Trisha had loved working for on the beach, before her and Martha’s shop really got going.

Shelley, the gentle, timid donkey, was nearest to Trisha. She nuzzled her nose into Trisha’s hand. Everyone laughed, but to Trisha, it was a ‘hello’ and ‘please protect me from this crowd’.

Sally seemed to sense this too, as she gently stroked Shelley in a reassuring way.

As Benny drew her away, he said, ‘We just wanted to wish you luck, Trisha, love, and to let you knaw we’ll allus be waiting for you, if he don’t treat you right.’ He winked and grinned at Walter, who laughed out loud.

‘Ta, Benny. It’s made me day seeing them.’

Just before they left, Daisy, the granny of the troupe who was lazy and often refused to budge no matter how you tried to coax her, came over to Trisha and looked up at her. To Trisha, she seemed to smile, her large eyes shining in the sunlight. Trisha smiled back. ‘Off you go, old girl. I’ll come and see you soon, eh?’

Daisy nodded her head, nuzzled Sally and made her giggle, and then ambled off at her own pace, resisting Benny trying to pull her rein to make her go faster.

‘What a delight, my dear.’

Trisha felt immediately on her guard as the tone of voice these words were said in, by the woman she knew to be Walter’s mother, made her feel that her new ma-in-law meant exactly the opposite to what she was saying. Her expression showed her distaste as her eyes followed Daisy.

When she turned back to Trisha, she masked her feelings for the donkeys with a tight smile. ‘I’m Beth, Walter’s mother. He told me how you used to work with the donkeys and then rose to own your own business! I’m impressed. Quite a rise.’

Again, Trisha felt an underlying implication. Her nerves jangled but she managed to say, ‘Pleased to meet you . . . Ma.’

‘Call me Beth, dear. Even Walter does, and has done since he was a boy!’

‘Eeh, that don’t seem right but if you’re sure?’

‘I am. And is this little Sally? Oh, she’s a pretty little thing.’

‘I’m pretty an’ all!’

‘Oh, you are, and what is your name?’

‘I’m Bonnie.’

‘Oh dear, it is sorry that I am. The two of them are often rivals, but they love each other as sisters, so they do. I’m Martha, Trisha’s friend.’

‘Oh, the one who can see into the future.’ Beth lowered her voice and, meaning for Martha’s ears only, said, ‘Well, that power seems to have let you down, dear.’

Trisha felt a moment’s trepidation as Martha answered, ‘No, I knew me lovely friend Trish was going to meet a handsome, kind and caring man, and it is that she has!’

The last bit she said as if in triumph and Trisha relaxed and turned towards Walter, who was waiting to introduce his father.

Glad of the interruption, but wondering about how the man who looked so like Walter, even to the thick-lensed glasses, would be with her, Trisha fixed a smile on her face. But her new father-in-law was a charming man, who asked her to call him Cyril. ‘Father is too formal, and we aren’t formal at all, my dear. I’m so pleased to meet you at last.’

Trisha’s nerves settled with this welcome and the short hug Cyril gave her.

Feeling as if everything would be all right, and that it was natural for a new ma-in-law to be wary of her – her first had never been friendly – Trisha looked around the small crowd gathered to celebrate with them. She was startled when she caught a glimpse of a man looking at her as if he hated her.

Walter squeezed her hand, bringing her attention back to him. ‘Well, that’s the first ordeal over with, darling. And you handled it well.’

Although he smiled as he said this, Trish had the feeling she was taking some kind of test.

When they moved into the church hall for refreshments Walter introduced her to his Manchester friends. The staring man was the first.

‘Pleased to meet you, dear.’ His eyes said otherwise. Then he nodded, and looked at Walter. ‘She’ll do.’

His mocking laugh made Trisha snap.

‘I ain’t part of a line-up, lad. You don’t get to pick if I’ll do or not.’

Walter looked appalled.

Well, Trisha thought, so am I.

Picking up the hem of her frock, she flounced away with as much dignity as she could muster. Tears stung her eyes, but she wasn’t going to let them fall. How dare Walter allow her to be humiliated in that way?

One of the group, a young woman with black curly hair, came after her. ‘Patricia!’

Trisha stopped and looked back. It seemed a day for being called by her given name. She would have so liked to have been asked, ‘Trisha, do you take Walter?’ It would have sounded right to her. Now it seemed she was to be Patricia all day!

When the young woman caught up with her, she looked flustered. ‘I’m sorry. I’m Freda . . . Look, Carl can be such a beast at times but he’s all right, really. Please don’t let him spoil your day.’

‘Why are you all so judgemental? You knaw nowt of me, or me life. Why can’t you accept that Walter loves me, and I’ll do me best to make him happy?’

Freda looked down at the floor. ‘I’m sorry . . . We behaved badly. It’s a “we were all students together” thing. Hard to understand unless you’ve formed such friendships. It’s very cliquey. We should be more grown-up and are, when not with each other – we’re all medical staff. It’s stupid and we should change. I’m mortified that we’ve upset you.’

‘Ta, love, I ain’t blaming you all. I knaw I ain’t what you expected and you can’t see me fitting in, and you’re right, I won’t. I ain’t had no education and cannot think why Walter chose me. I won’t try to be one of you all, but Walter will still come and see you like he allus has done as that makes him happy.’

‘You’re a lovely person, Trish. I like you. You’re honest and have no side. I wish I was more like you instead of being like a sheep following the crowd. May I come to visit you sometimes? I love Walter and would like to spend time with you and him. I can see why he chose you. Never put yourself down, Patricia.’

‘Trisha. Call me Trisha, and aye, I’d like that. You seem different to them lot.’

‘Different is good, and I’m going to carry on being so. You’ve taught me a lesson today, Trisha. I wish . . . Anyway, I won’t hog your time, see you soon, eh?’

Wondering what it was that she wished, Trisha just nodded and moved away, seeking out Martha.

‘Eeh, Martha, lass, I’ve proper let Walter down.’

‘Oh? Well, it is that he is smiling. Look, he’s coming over. He’s not for looking like a man who’s been let down, love.’

Trisha turned, ready to apologise for her behaviour, but Walter’s lovely smile stopped her.

‘Well said, darling. You really put Carl in his place, and he is getting a good dressing-down from Freda now. You’ve made a friend there.’

‘Eeh, but I’m sorry. He’s your friend.’

‘He deserved it, he showed bad manners, and I hate that. Like Freda says, they all need to grow up. They aren’t students any more.’

Trisha relaxed. Martha took hold of her hand and squeezed it. She had no need to speak. They’d always been able to convey what they wanted to say to each other by a touch, a gesture or a look.

Feeling comforted, Trisha regained her confidence as Walter took hold of her other hand and together they watch the antics of Sally and Bonnie, playing in the centre of the hall.

Trisha’s love for her child swelled, but once more her happiness was marred by the thought that she would never be able to give Walter a child. She’d suffered greatly after giving birth to Sally and had to have an operation to take her womb away.

With this thought, her love for Walter increased as she looked up at him and thought how lovely he was to accept this and her little Sally as his own.

Suddenly they were surrounded by Walter’s friends from Blackpool Victoria Hospital, some of whom Trisha already knew. How different they were. Funny, welcoming and including her.

As they did Cilla when she joined them. A gypsy cousin of Martha’s, and Trisha’s friend, Cilla had taken over Martha’s fortune telling business on the prom.

To Trisha, she looked beautiful today in her traditional gypsy clothes – long black skirt hemmed with sequins, teamed with a red silk puffed sleeved blouse. Her long dark hair she’d caught back with a black band, which was also threaded with sequins that caught the light as she moved. She drew many a glance and sideways remark – now she seemed to have become the object of mirth to the ‘horrid lot’, as Trisha had named the Manchester crowd.

Trisha held her breath as Cilla excused herself and boldly went up to the horrid lot. She only spoke a few words, but it shut them up and their expressions showed fear as she left them. A good moment.

At last it was time for her and Walter to climb up onto Arthur’s carriage and be driven to their beautiful new home on St Anne’s Road, just a few doors down from where Martha and Joshua lived.

As they waved to everyone before climbing into the carriage, Carl came up to them and, without looking at her, said, ‘Don’t forget who your true friends are, Walt.’

Walter blushed, then laughed as he put his arm around Trisha. ‘I won’t. Take care and wish us luck.’

‘Oh, I do. You will need it!’

With this and not even acknowledging Trisha, he turned and went back to the others in the clique.

Martha came over and hugged them both. ‘Oh, it is that you are going to be so happy. We will see you tomorrow when we will bring Sally to you.’ To Trisha, who she held for longer, she said, ‘Beware of those friends from Manchester. They . . . I – I mean, don’t be taking any notice of them. Sure, you won’t have to be seeing them often, if at all.’

‘I’ve never met them before or even heard their names and don’t ever want to see them again. I can’t understand why Walter asked them to come today. Surely he knew they ain’t happy with him marrying me?’

Martha looked deeply into her eyes. Trisha knew for certain she had a secret she wasn’t sharing, but then, they had always said she shouldn’t as it would be like directing her life for her. They were friends – the closest friends ever – and loved one another. Martha didn’t work as a fortune teller any more, but that didn’t stop her having visions of future happenings, but she would never presume to read Trisha’s future. For that, she had to go to Cilla. But she’d never done that. Maybe this time she would.

This feeling passed as the anticipation of her new life as Walter’s wife took over when he once more pulled her to him. ‘Everything will be all right, my darling. Don’t let them worry you. I rarely see them. They insisted on coming today.’

His parents came over to them then. Beth hugged her. ‘Patricia, please make sure that this son of mine brings you up to see us as soon as possible, and bring little Sally. She is adorable.’

‘I will, but you can come to see us at any time, can’t they, Walter? We have a guest bedroom.’

Trisha felt excitement grip her as she said this. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she, a girl from Enfield Road, two up, two down terraced houses, could ever live in a large house with a garden and a guest bedroom.

As Walter’s mother went to hug him, she whispered something about doing his best to be a good husband. Trisha only caught this and her saying, ‘This is your chance to live a normal life, darling.’

What she meant by that, Trisha assumed, was that he didn’t have to live in hospital accommodation any longer, but in a proper home. She smiled and nodded, but Walter looked annoyed at his mother’s words.

There was no time to dwell on this as after a quick goodbye to his father, and a massive hug for each of them from Sally and Bonnie, they were climbing onto the carriage and it pulled away, leaving them laughing together at the sound of the tin cans clattering on the road. Who tied them to the carriage they had no idea, but it added to their enjoyment and relaxed them both.

As they drove home in the brand-new Austin 7 that Joshua had recently bought, Martha was unsettled by the feeling that something wasn’t right. This left her unable to enjoy the freedom of the roof being down and the feel of the wind on her face, even though she loved the sensation of travelling in the car.

A third-generation descendant of the ancestor who broke the gypsy code and married a gorger, Martha had been gifted with the ability to see into the future. But today she wouldn’t allow her ‘guiding spirit’ – what all the gypsies called the means of them getting their information – nag her into wanting to accept the knowledge of Trisha’s future.

Trisha had made her promise that she would never tell her what was in store for her, so Martha would rather not know. Besides, she’d never wanted to be gifted. Had fought against being so, until she’d been forced to earn her money helping her lovely, late gran to tell fortunes on the promenade, hoping their palms would be crossed with silver.

But since she’d handed over to Cilla and taken up needlework, opening the layette shop on the promenade with Trisha, she’d so wanted to leave all of that behind.

Sighing, she thought how difficult it was for her to stop bad news coming to her and how it was such news that had been the means of her knowing she had the gift in the first place.

Her mind went back to the little cosy kitchen of the cottage she was brought up in on the outskirts of Dublin. And she saw again the first vision she’d ever had, of her mammy and pappy, supporters of the uprising, being shot.

Her whole body shuddered with the pain of how that had become real.

‘Are you all right, darling? Are you cold?’

She could only shake her head in Joshua’s direction.

His hand came on hers. She managed to smile up at him. But her troubled mind wouldn’t let that smile touch her heart as she so wanted to save Trisha from all she had to face, but always she had to listen to what her gran had taught her – that they can inform if asked to do so, but they must never try to change a person’s destiny.

Martha was of the same mind and was glad that it wasn’t possible to see her own future, but she could consult the tarot cards to get any answers she wanted and meant to do so to ask if she would have another child – Joshua’s child.

With this thought, Peter came to mind. Bonnie’s father. She shook the thought from her – helped unwittingly by Josh, as he went from being quiet to suddenly talking about anything and everything. A tactic he often used to distract her, if he thought her troubled by her spirit.

‘I took some lovely photos today, darling. I can’t wait to get into my darkroom tomorrow.’

‘It is that I saw you clicking away. It is lovely that Trish and Walter will have the photos to keep, so it is.’

‘They may find there’s more of you than them, my darling, you look so beautiful in that colour. And you said pale blue wouldn’t suit you.’

‘Ha, it is that I cannot wait to get it off! Satin is for being the hottest of fabrics.’

‘I can’t wait either. I’ll help you with it, if you like.’

His grin showed his desire.

Martha’s muscles in her groin clenched, but she shushed Josh and glanced back at the children. Glad to see Sally had nodded off and Bonnie wasn’t taking any notice, she brought her attention back to Josh.

His desire showed in his expression, adding fire to her own. She knew her voice conveyed this as she said, ‘The children are tired, Josh, darling. I think it is that I’ll be putting them to bed for an afternoon nap when we reach home.’

‘Good idea, darling.’ The husky voice he used told her that he’d read her meaning.

Bonnie’s petulant ‘I don’t want to go to bed, Mammy. I ain’t a babby, you know!’ made them both burst out laughing but didn’t break the spell that sizzled between them.

‘Maybe it is that you will feel differently once we are for being home. Sure, Sally is fast asleep already.’

‘Aunt Trisha says she’s a sleepy head.’ As she said this, Bonnie showed her love for Sally by stroking her hair.

Seeing this gesture warmed Martha’s heart.

‘Ah, but to be sure, those who rest now can be finishing the day with a walk along the promenade and a fish and chip supper out of newspaper. Me and Pappy are going to rest to get ready for that treat, isn’t that so, Pappy?’

‘It is, and if Bonnie doesn’t, not only will she miss the fish and chips, she’ll be alone downstairs with no one to talk to while we rest.’

‘No, I don’t want that, but Mammy, if I go to have a rest, can I stay in Sally’s bed and lie next to her?’

‘I think that is for being a good idea as then it is that when Sally wakes and she isn’t for being in her own bed, she will have you and won’t be feeling lost.’

‘I always look after Sally, Mammy.’

‘I know, it does me heart good to see you and Sally care for each other.’

‘That’s because I love her, and she loves me.’

Martha smiled and as she turned back to face the front, she caught a wink from Josh that rekindled her desire and sent a warm feeling trickling through her. With it the thought came to her that maybe this time it would happen.

They’d been married for two years and had been blissfully happy. Both had grown their businesses, especially Josh, who now owned a printing firm alongside his photographic and film developing business. But the one thing that marred that happiness and success was that she hadn’t become pregnant. She couldn’t understand why and blamed herself, thinking that her sin of having a child out of wedlock had come home to roost and that maybe Bonnie’s birth, although easy and over very quickly, had somehow damaged her.

Peter, Bonnie’s father, came to mind once again.

Peter belonged firmly in her past – but did he? One day she must face up to him being part of Bonnie’s future.

Inwardly she rebelled against this. She wanted Josh to always be pappy to Bonnie and for her never to know the truth, but she knew that wasn’t fair. She and Josh had promised Peter that when Bonnie was older, they would tell her who her real father was. He’d been willing to wait so as not to disrupt Bonnie’s tender years, so she couldn’t break that promise.

For the umpteenth time she wondered how different her life would have been if Peter, who she’d fallen so completely in love with, hadn’t walked out not to return for many years – years in which she’d met and fallen more deeply in love with Josh.

It helped to know that Peter didn’t walk out in a casual way having had what he wanted from her, but that trauma from his experiences in the Great War caused him to have episodes of complete loss of memory.

She’d been happy to learn that he’d married one of his nurses and had a child himself, but even happier that he hadn’t wanted to disrupt Bonnie’s life and intended not to be a part of it until she was much older.

To this end, they had regularly sent Peter updates on her progress and photographs as she reached each birthday.

The car turning into their drive gave Martha a happy release from these painful thoughts as Josh squeezed her knee once more just as soon as they came to a halt. His lo. . .