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'You needn't be frightened,.' she said.

'W-w-what are you?' Christina stammered.

'I will be your friend,.' said the girl. 'If you'll let me.'

'My friend?' Christina frowned. 'What do you mean? You're a photograph and I must be dreaming or feverish or something.' She put her hand to her brow.

The girl in the photograph giggled.

'I have the power to grant you three wishes,.' said the girl. 'There must be something you would like.'

'I must be dreaming,.' murmured Christina, pinching herself. 'I must be.'

'What are you doing?' said a voice behind her, making her jump. It was Eva. The girl in the photograph was a mere photograph once more.

'I was not doing anything,.' snapped Christina. 'And in any case I can do as I like. This is my house.'

'This is your mother's house, I think,.' Eva said, smiling and walking back towards the kitchen.

'So?' said the girl in the photograph. 'Is there nothing you wish for?'

'I wish that stupid Eva would leave me alone!' hissed Christina.

As soon as she said the words she felt a curious sensation, as if there had been a sudden change in air pressure. She felt light-headed and put her hand on the banister to steady herself. She blinked a couple of times to focus, but saw that the photograph was static once more. She clicked her fingers in front of the girl's face, but nothing moved.

Christina laughed nervously to herself. Perhaps she was coming down with something, after all. Could she really have hallucinated the whole thing? She shook her head and blinked again. Already the idea of it being a trick of her mind was easier to believe than that a photograph had actually talked to her. She laughed again.

The family were having dinner some days later when the doorbell rang. The girls looked at each other in wonder. No one ever called at this hour. Their mother frowned and stood up, wringing her napkin nervously.

'Now whoever can that be?' she said.

Eva had answered the door and they could hear a muttered conversation going on in the hall. Mrs Webster left the room and after exchanging wide-eyed glances, the girls followed her.

They found Eva in tears. The door was open and there were two stern-looking gentlemen in dark overcoats on the doorstep and a policeman standing behind them, looking back into the street.

'What on earth is going on?' said their mother. 'What is the meaning of this? Eva? What is the matter?'

'I am afraid Miss Lubanov must come with us, madam,.' said one of the stern gentlemen. Christina took a moment to realise that he meant Eva.

'Go with you?' said Mrs Webster. 'But why? I really must protest . . .'

'Please,.' said Eva. 'It is better I go. You have been so very kind, ma'am. I do not wish you to get in trouble for me.'

'Listen to her, madam,.' said the other man. 'She does not have the correct papers and she must go. You will only make trouble for yourself if you interfere.'

'Eva!' cried Agnes and she rushed forward to hug the maid. Eva had stopped crying now. She hugged Agnes and cast a hard glance over at Christina.

'Please, madam,.' she said. 'Do not try to help me.

You must look after yourself.'

'You poor dear girl,.' said their mother, hugging her. With that, the men took her away and ushered her into a waiting carriage. In seconds they were gone.

When her mother was upstairs consoling Agnes, Christina lurked about at the parlour doorway, working up the courage to step into the hall alone.

'You have come for another wish?' said the photograph.

Christina stepped nearer.

'I did not wish for Eva to be taken away,.' said Christina. 'I only asked that she would leave me alone. It's not my fault that she was taken away.'

The girl in the photograph smiled. 'And your second wish?'

Christina did not like the way she spoke to her. It was almost as if she did blame her, but was choosing not to say anything. After all, if she could grant her anything she wanted, Christina was hardly going to argue with her, but this time she was going to wish for something