him.
On Christmas evening Betty and Milly were in with the family, enjoying playing games. Milly could feel Richard’s eyes on her every time she moved.
‘Didn’t you get Milly a present?’ Jane asked him.
Milly blushed.
‘I thought you liked her.’
Milly wanted Jane to stop.
‘Sorry, Milly. Never had time.’
‘That’s all right. I don’t expect one.’
‘I’ll get you something for Easter when I’m home again.’
‘You don’t have to get me presents.’
Everybody’s eyes were on her; she was so embarrassed she wanted to run away. ‘I’ll just take these plates to the kitchen,’ she said.
‘No, leave ’em,’ said Betty. ‘I’ll do it.’
Milly looked pleadingly at Betty.
‘I’ll help you,’ said Richard.
Milly wanted the ground to open up. Why was he doing this to her?
Once they were in the kitchen she turned on him. ‘What’s wrong with you? Why are you behaving like this?’
‘I’m sorry about last night. I drank too much and I wanted to give you your Christmas present.’
‘But you said—’
‘I know what I said. I didn’t want the family to see what I’ve bought you.’ He put his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
Milly stared at it. ‘I can’t accept this.’
‘You don’t know what it is.’
‘I can see that it’s very expensive.’
‘Quickly, put it in your pocket. I can hear Jane coming.’
Jane pushed open the kitchen door. ‘Now what are you two up to?’
‘Nothing,’ said Richard. ‘I was just helping Milly.’
‘Why? You’ve never helped anyone before.’
‘I wanted her to hurry up so we can play cards.’
Milly said nothing. Did Jane suspect?
‘Betty said to leave the washing-up. It can be done in the morning. Now come on, both of you. Let’s get back to the family.’ Jane turned her chair round and they followed her.
Milly fingered the case nestling in the pocket of her pinny. What was it? She would have loved to open it there and then, but she knew it must be something very special for Richard to give it to her when they were alone.
At last it was time for everyone to go to bed. Milly kissed Jane and said good night to the family.
Chapter 14
I T WASN’T TILL SHE was safely in her bedroom that Milly could bring herself to open the present Richard had given her. She sat on the bed and carefully undid the clasp on the velvet box, then quickly put her hand to her mouth. The box was lined with red silk, and in its folds was a beautiful gold bracelet. She sat looking at it. It was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen. What must it have cost? She couldn’t bring herself to take it out of the box. It had to go back. What had he been thinking of? She was nothing more than somebody who worked in his parents’ house and was a friend of his sister. She couldn’t accept such a beautiful gift.
That night as she lay in bed, her thoughts were full of the bracelet and Richard. What on earth had made him buy her such an expensive gift? Was it really this that had made him come to her room last night? Had he wanted to give it to her when they were alone? Had she been too harsh? But what would Jane and his parents say if they saw it? If she kept it, when would she be able to wear it? All these thoughts were going round and round in her mind. She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep.
She was woken by Elsie shaking her.
‘Don’t know what’s the matter with you these last couple o’ mornings. Normally you’re up and dressed ’fore I gets all the way up here.’
Milly quickly glanced around the room. She was pleased that she’d put the box under her pillow.
‘Must have been all the excitement of yesterday.’
Quickly dressing herself, she caught up with Elsie on the stairs. ‘Did you have a nice Christmas, Elsie?’ she asked to ease the situation.
‘Yes thanks. Could have done with staying at home this morning, though. Me husband don’t look too good.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that. Look,
On Christmas evening Betty and Milly were in with the family, enjoying playing games. Milly could feel Richard’s eyes on her every time she moved.
‘Didn’t you get Milly a present?’ Jane asked him.
Milly blushed.
‘I thought you liked her.’
Milly wanted Jane to stop.
‘Sorry, Milly. Never had time.’
‘That’s all right. I don’t expect one.’
‘I’ll get you something for Easter when I’m home again.’
‘You don’t have to get me presents.’
Everybody’s eyes were on her; she was so embarrassed she wanted to run away. ‘I’ll just take these plates to the kitchen,’ she said.
‘No, leave ’em,’ said Betty. ‘I’ll do it.’
Milly looked pleadingly at Betty.
‘I’ll help you,’ said Richard.
Milly wanted the ground to open up. Why was he doing this to her?
Once they were in the kitchen she turned on him. ‘What’s wrong with you? Why are you behaving like this?’
‘I’m sorry about last night. I drank too much and I wanted to give you your Christmas present.’
‘But you said—’
‘I know what I said. I didn’t want the family to see what I’ve bought you.’ He put his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
Milly stared at it. ‘I can’t accept this.’
‘You don’t know what it is.’
‘I can see that it’s very expensive.’
‘Quickly, put it in your pocket. I can hear Jane coming.’
Jane pushed open the kitchen door. ‘Now what are you two up to?’
‘Nothing,’ said Richard. ‘I was just helping Milly.’
‘Why? You’ve never helped anyone before.’
‘I wanted her to hurry up so we can play cards.’
Milly said nothing. Did Jane suspect?
‘Betty said to leave the washing-up. It can be done in the morning. Now come on, both of you. Let’s get back to the family.’ Jane turned her chair round and they followed her.
Milly fingered the case nestling in the pocket of her pinny. What was it? She would have loved to open it there and then, but she knew it must be something very special for Richard to give it to her when they were alone.
At last it was time for everyone to go to bed. Milly kissed Jane and said good night to the family.
Chapter 14
I T WASN’T TILL SHE was safely in her bedroom that Milly could bring herself to open the present Richard had given her. She sat on the bed and carefully undid the clasp on the velvet box, then quickly put her hand to her mouth. The box was lined with red silk, and in its folds was a beautiful gold bracelet. She sat looking at it. It was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen. What must it have cost? She couldn’t bring herself to take it out of the box. It had to go back. What had he been thinking of? She was nothing more than somebody who worked in his parents’ house and was a friend of his sister. She couldn’t accept such a beautiful gift.
That night as she lay in bed, her thoughts were full of the bracelet and Richard. What on earth had made him buy her such an expensive gift? Was it really this that had made him come to her room last night? Had he wanted to give it to her when they were alone? Had she been too harsh? But what would Jane and his parents say if they saw it? If she kept it, when would she be able to wear it? All these thoughts were going round and round in her mind. She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep.
She was woken by Elsie shaking her.
‘Don’t know what’s the matter with you these last couple o’ mornings. Normally you’re up and dressed ’fore I gets all the way up here.’
Milly quickly glanced around the room. She was pleased that she’d put the box under her pillow.
‘Must have been all the excitement of yesterday.’
Quickly dressing herself, she caught up with Elsie on the stairs. ‘Did you have a nice Christmas, Elsie?’ she asked to ease the situation.
‘Yes thanks. Could have done with staying at home this morning, though. Me husband don’t look too good.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that. Look,
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