breakfast and gave them small purses with money in. They thanked him and left the room to prepare the light lunch and the evening meal. Milly couldn’t look at Richard, although she could see that he was smiling like everyone else in the room.
‘I will give you both your presents when we get back from church,’ said Jane.
‘Thank you,’ said Betty and Milly together.
When they were in the kitchen, Milly asked Betty, ‘Do you think Jane will like the scarf I’ve got her?’
‘I think she’ll be over the moon. You know how she likes pretty things.’
‘I hope so.’
‘You’re very quiet this morning, you all right?’
Milly nodded. How could she tell Betty about last night? And was she reading too much into it? She knew she would have to talk to Richard at some time.
‘Just as long as you ain’t coming down with something,’ said Betty, interrupting her thoughts.
Milly had placed the food for lunch on the dining-room table before the family returned from church. When the front door burst open, she could hear everyone laughing, and she felt a little easier.
Jane went to her room and returned to the kitchen with two beautifully wrapped parcels. ‘This is for you, Betty. And this is for you, Milly.’ Her eyes were shining. ‘I hope you like it. Mama said I should wait till this afternoon when she will be giving you hers, but you know me, I can’t wait.’
Milly sat at the table and carefully opened her present. It was a book of short stories. ‘Oh Jane, this is wonderful. Thank you. Thank you so much.’ She kissed her friend’s cheek.
‘Miss Dance got it for me. She knows how you love reading and thought that some of the questions might be about authors.’
Milly clasped the book to her. She was so happy. This was the best present she had ever had.
Betty was busy admiring her gloves.
‘I hope they fit,’ said Jane.
‘They are lovely. Thank you, Miss Jane.’
Mrs Green came into the kitchen and smiled. ‘I see my daughter couldn’t wait. You must come into the drawing room when we’ve finished lunch. Do the gloves fit, Betty?’
‘Yes thank you.’
‘Jane, my present for you is in my room,’ said Milly.
‘Jane will have to be patient.’ Her mother took hold of the handles of her chair and pushed her towards the door. ‘Lunch first, miss. Then the rest of the presents.’
‘Mama always likes to make things last.’ Jane waved as she left the room.
Milly danced round the kitchen, clutching her book. ‘I am so lucky,’ she said, going up to Betty and plonking a loud kiss on her cheek.
Betty laughed. This young girl deserved all the happiness she could get, and if anybody ever found out where Auntie Doris was, Betty knew she would keep that information to herself.
Milly and Betty had to sit down when they were given their presents from Mrs Green. Betty was given a scarf the same beige colour as her gloves and Milly’s present was another book. This one was a history book.
‘Thank you,’ said Milly, who was close to tears she was so happy.
‘We all know how you love to read,’ said Richard.
‘Yes, I do.’ Milly was waiting for him to give her a present but he didn’t. Was he angry with her for not letting him into her room last night?
Jane sat with her scarf round her neck. She was fingering the fringe. ‘I love this. Thank you, Milly.’
‘I thought you might.’
‘Now let’s have tea,’ said Mr Green. ‘Do you know, that’s what I miss the most when I’m away, a lovely cup of tea. Cheers.’ He raised his cup and laughed.
Milly was pleased to see that everything was now back to normal.
Betty laughed. ‘Begging your pardon, but this always seems wrong, you waiting on us.’
‘I only do it once a year,’ said Mrs Green.
Richard handed Milly one of the bone-china plates, and as he did so he looked into her eyes and his hand touched hers. She felt a thrill run up her arm. Whatever was going through his mind last night, she could never be angry with
‘I will give you both your presents when we get back from church,’ said Jane.
‘Thank you,’ said Betty and Milly together.
When they were in the kitchen, Milly asked Betty, ‘Do you think Jane will like the scarf I’ve got her?’
‘I think she’ll be over the moon. You know how she likes pretty things.’
‘I hope so.’
‘You’re very quiet this morning, you all right?’
Milly nodded. How could she tell Betty about last night? And was she reading too much into it? She knew she would have to talk to Richard at some time.
‘Just as long as you ain’t coming down with something,’ said Betty, interrupting her thoughts.
Milly had placed the food for lunch on the dining-room table before the family returned from church. When the front door burst open, she could hear everyone laughing, and she felt a little easier.
Jane went to her room and returned to the kitchen with two beautifully wrapped parcels. ‘This is for you, Betty. And this is for you, Milly.’ Her eyes were shining. ‘I hope you like it. Mama said I should wait till this afternoon when she will be giving you hers, but you know me, I can’t wait.’
Milly sat at the table and carefully opened her present. It was a book of short stories. ‘Oh Jane, this is wonderful. Thank you. Thank you so much.’ She kissed her friend’s cheek.
‘Miss Dance got it for me. She knows how you love reading and thought that some of the questions might be about authors.’
Milly clasped the book to her. She was so happy. This was the best present she had ever had.
Betty was busy admiring her gloves.
‘I hope they fit,’ said Jane.
‘They are lovely. Thank you, Miss Jane.’
Mrs Green came into the kitchen and smiled. ‘I see my daughter couldn’t wait. You must come into the drawing room when we’ve finished lunch. Do the gloves fit, Betty?’
‘Yes thank you.’
‘Jane, my present for you is in my room,’ said Milly.
‘Jane will have to be patient.’ Her mother took hold of the handles of her chair and pushed her towards the door. ‘Lunch first, miss. Then the rest of the presents.’
‘Mama always likes to make things last.’ Jane waved as she left the room.
Milly danced round the kitchen, clutching her book. ‘I am so lucky,’ she said, going up to Betty and plonking a loud kiss on her cheek.
Betty laughed. This young girl deserved all the happiness she could get, and if anybody ever found out where Auntie Doris was, Betty knew she would keep that information to herself.
Milly and Betty had to sit down when they were given their presents from Mrs Green. Betty was given a scarf the same beige colour as her gloves and Milly’s present was another book. This one was a history book.
‘Thank you,’ said Milly, who was close to tears she was so happy.
‘We all know how you love to read,’ said Richard.
‘Yes, I do.’ Milly was waiting for him to give her a present but he didn’t. Was he angry with her for not letting him into her room last night?
Jane sat with her scarf round her neck. She was fingering the fringe. ‘I love this. Thank you, Milly.’
‘I thought you might.’
‘Now let’s have tea,’ said Mr Green. ‘Do you know, that’s what I miss the most when I’m away, a lovely cup of tea. Cheers.’ He raised his cup and laughed.
Milly was pleased to see that everything was now back to normal.
Betty laughed. ‘Begging your pardon, but this always seems wrong, you waiting on us.’
‘I only do it once a year,’ said Mrs Green.
Richard handed Milly one of the bone-china plates, and as he did so he looked into her eyes and his hand touched hers. She felt a thrill run up her arm. Whatever was going through his mind last night, she could never be angry with
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