Ripley's Return

Bad News For Melly

In the afternoon Tom and Peter went to the job center together to get informed. While they were away Melly decided to go to the post office to pick up her letters.
There was also a telegram for her from her sister. It said 'Be home as soon as possible, Dad is very sick.'

Hard times would come for her. She loved her father. She couldn't think of him not being around anymore if he didn't survive the disease. What did he actually have? If she went home, she would find out.

When Peter and Tom came back to the castle, they found Melly when she was packing her things. On her face a strange expression. "What happened, Melly?", Peter asked concerned. "My father, I have to go back to London, cause he's sick", she answered. "I'm sorry to hear that. Come, sit down for a bit, we'll pack the rest" Peter said, putting his hand on her shoulder and caressing it briefly.

Peter indicated to Tom, who was still standing in the door frame that he should help. So he looked into her bedroom for what was still there and brought it to the living room. Peter then stowed them in her travel bag and finally looked around again to see if that was really everything and nothing was forgotten.

Melly would go straight back on the night train.
Before she left, she said goodbye to everyone with a hug and thanked them. Peter asked if he really shouldn't be accompanying her to the train station. She said it was okay to go alone, it was only 15 minutes away.
As she opened the gate she looked back into the faces of the others before she went off.