Adelia finds a partially burned photograph of Bobby from his time as a soldier. On the back it says he was seen as a hero, especially by himself. She wonders why he destroyed the photos, as they must have been important. When they first met, she saw Bobby as arrogant but he was the one who helped her when she was in trouble. The letters and calls between them continued until last Christmas when he asked her again to marry him, and this time she said yes. Now in the cottage together, she realizes the "game" between them has rules only Bobby understands. While examining the photo again, she finds a threatening message telling her to go home written on a card in her coat pocket.

1. An Excerpt from A Second Chance :
Chapter Two
Biting the Bullet
The fire in the sitting room wasn’t giving out heat, the grate choked with torn up
papers and whatlooked to be the remains of a photograph album. Adelia took a
poker and raked the mass. A half-charred photograph slid onto the mat.
A soldier gazed at her fromunder the peak of his cap, light flashing on a cruciform
medal hung about his neck. On the back of the photo, in Bobby’s hand, was written,
‘Ash Hunter at the presentation: a hero in everyone's opinion, especially his own.'
Adelia knelt gazing at the fire. Why destroy photographs? They must have been
important at one time. Gabriel Templar’s voice echoed ‘What’sthe use of letters and
photographs? They don’t tell you what’s real.’
When she first met Bobby she thought him an arrogant bore. When she was in
trouble it was the bore that helped her. Colleagues disapproved of her. They
thought the amnesia a lie. ‘So you’re pregnant? So what? Have the guts to own up.
Don’t try to cover it up with this amnesia rubbish!’
Itwas Bobby who found the flat above the bakery, and it was he who paid the
rent. For a time in ’43 they were happy, almostin love. Then he was transferred to
another baseand the barrageof mail began. Every day broughta letter, and in every
letter a proposalof marriage. So it went until February ‘44 and two long months of
silence. How Adelia grieved, thinking him killed. April1st
, a clue if ever there was
one, an airmail postmarked Washington dropped through the door. ‘It’s me, the bad
penny. Sorryaboutthe delay. Me and a bike had an argumentwith a wall. Tell me
you’re still my girl, ‘cos if you’re not, me and the bike will find another wall.’
The letters and calls continued until last Christmas when the phone rang in the shop.
Bobby had rung to see if the sable coat had arrived, couldn’t havetimed it better.
‘Thank you,’ she’d replied. ‘It’s lovely.’ Helaughed. ‘Plenty morewhere they come
from. All you got to do is book two seats aboard the Queen Mary.’ She’d asked what
he wanted for Christmas. He’d replied, ‘sameas last year.’ A moment’s hesitation,
and then she castin their lot. ‘Well then, Captain Rourke. Itseems Santa’s granted
your wish.’ For a time then there was only silence on the other end of the phone.
‘Oh, dear,’ she’d said. ‘Wasn’tI supposed to say yes? Has it only ever been a game?’
Now they’re here, and the game, if there is a game, has rules only Bobby
understands.
Onceagain she studied the photograph. There was something about the soldier, in
his face, the eyes, penetrating, unforgiving, like thoseof Gabriel Templar.
Itwas cold in the cottage. She swung the sable about her shoulders, pushing the
photograph into the pocket. ‘Ouch!’ There was something sharp stuck in the lining.

2. Itwas a business card, ‘Forget-Me-Not’, a florist’s shop herein Fredericksburg. There
was a messagescribbled on the back. She carried the card to the lamp.
Itread, ‘Go home, English whore and take your bastard with you.’