neighbour who sold the farm’s eggs for them on Kendal market.
‘So this is your new mother?’ she’d said to the children, cooing delightedly at Tilda, who had been too shy to reply. Seven-year-old Emmet had kicked stones along the church path, glowering ferociously, making it very plain that he had no wish to talk about his stepmother, thank you very much. The boy had still been grieving and paid no heed to Ella in those days.
‘We have to be going now, Mrs Jepson,’ the older girl, Mary, had said, gathering the children close. ‘Mrs Rackett will have us dinners ready, and we dursn’t be late.’
‘Oh, indeed, no, you mustn’t,’ the good lady had agreed.
Ella remembered being delighted to meet her, hopeful of finding a friend, but before she’d even opened her mouth to say as much, Amos had appeared out of nowhere to hurry them away. Undeterred, Mrs Jepson had set off after them, panting a little as she’d rushed along the path in Ella’s wake. ‘I shall call upon you, my dear, if I may. Perhaps one morning next week?’
Amos had rather brusquely dismissed her offer. ‘We’ll let you know when my wife is ready to receive visitors. She needs to be allowed time to settle in.’
Mrs Jepson had kept her distance for months, which had been most disappointing for Ella, making her feel lonelier than ever. Now, of course, she was a much-valued friend, and they made a point of meeting up every Thursday, as they were doing now, simply for the pleasure of each other’s company.
‘Would you care for another scone? I made them specially.’
‘They are absolutely delicious, Wilma, but I swear I shall burst if I eat another crumb.’
‘You’re looking very well,’ her friend told her, adding rather coyly, ‘You aren’t … you know? I had hoped that efforts were being made in that direction.’
Ella flushed bright scarlet.
‘You are, I knew it. I can always tell. There’s a certain fullness about the face, a light in the eyes. Oh, Ella, I’m so thrilled.’ Quickly setting down her cup, she went to give her friend a warm hug. ‘What does Amos say?’
‘I haven’t told him yet.’
‘Oh, but you must.’
Ella laughed. ‘I’ve only just had it confirmed this very afternoon by the doctor. I shall tell him the moment I have him to myself.’
Refilling the two china cups by way of celebration, Wilma Jepson looked thoughtful. ‘Are things any better between you and Mercy?’
Ella pulled her face and told her friend about the fight. ‘It was so undignified. I can’t ever remember such a thing happening to me in my life before. I thought it was only in the worst slums that women fell to fighting each other, not in tranquil Kentmere.’
The older woman looked at her friend quite seriously. ‘That’s where the poor girl comes from: the slums. Of course, the worst of Fellside ought to be demolished, and will be before too long if Kendal has any consideration for its residents. But you’ll have to make allowances for this new sister of yours until she learns to be a little more – shall we say, civilised – and gets over these long-held grievances. It willtake time, as she’s carrying a lot of baggage.’
‘I know, and I do feel desperately sorry for her, for the sad life she’s had to endure, and the scar of insecurity those years have left upon her. But she is idle and deliberately ignores every order I give her, as I have told you.’
‘Be firm but kind, my dear. Present her with a list of chores each morning, in the order they must be done, and leave her to it.’
‘I’m willing to try anything, but how to soften this fierce resentment she nurses against the entire Angel family, that’s my biggest concern. We haven’t spoken a word to each other since the fight but there are times I think she carries the same thread of evil as our father, although less violent and destructive. She is truly the devil’s spawn.’
Wilma Jepson was shocked. ‘Oh, do not say such a thing, the
‘So this is your new mother?’ she’d said to the children, cooing delightedly at Tilda, who had been too shy to reply. Seven-year-old Emmet had kicked stones along the church path, glowering ferociously, making it very plain that he had no wish to talk about his stepmother, thank you very much. The boy had still been grieving and paid no heed to Ella in those days.
‘We have to be going now, Mrs Jepson,’ the older girl, Mary, had said, gathering the children close. ‘Mrs Rackett will have us dinners ready, and we dursn’t be late.’
‘Oh, indeed, no, you mustn’t,’ the good lady had agreed.
Ella remembered being delighted to meet her, hopeful of finding a friend, but before she’d even opened her mouth to say as much, Amos had appeared out of nowhere to hurry them away. Undeterred, Mrs Jepson had set off after them, panting a little as she’d rushed along the path in Ella’s wake. ‘I shall call upon you, my dear, if I may. Perhaps one morning next week?’
Amos had rather brusquely dismissed her offer. ‘We’ll let you know when my wife is ready to receive visitors. She needs to be allowed time to settle in.’
Mrs Jepson had kept her distance for months, which had been most disappointing for Ella, making her feel lonelier than ever. Now, of course, she was a much-valued friend, and they made a point of meeting up every Thursday, as they were doing now, simply for the pleasure of each other’s company.
‘Would you care for another scone? I made them specially.’
‘They are absolutely delicious, Wilma, but I swear I shall burst if I eat another crumb.’
‘You’re looking very well,’ her friend told her, adding rather coyly, ‘You aren’t … you know? I had hoped that efforts were being made in that direction.’
Ella flushed bright scarlet.
‘You are, I knew it. I can always tell. There’s a certain fullness about the face, a light in the eyes. Oh, Ella, I’m so thrilled.’ Quickly setting down her cup, she went to give her friend a warm hug. ‘What does Amos say?’
‘I haven’t told him yet.’
‘Oh, but you must.’
Ella laughed. ‘I’ve only just had it confirmed this very afternoon by the doctor. I shall tell him the moment I have him to myself.’
Refilling the two china cups by way of celebration, Wilma Jepson looked thoughtful. ‘Are things any better between you and Mercy?’
Ella pulled her face and told her friend about the fight. ‘It was so undignified. I can’t ever remember such a thing happening to me in my life before. I thought it was only in the worst slums that women fell to fighting each other, not in tranquil Kentmere.’
The older woman looked at her friend quite seriously. ‘That’s where the poor girl comes from: the slums. Of course, the worst of Fellside ought to be demolished, and will be before too long if Kendal has any consideration for its residents. But you’ll have to make allowances for this new sister of yours until she learns to be a little more – shall we say, civilised – and gets over these long-held grievances. It willtake time, as she’s carrying a lot of baggage.’
‘I know, and I do feel desperately sorry for her, for the sad life she’s had to endure, and the scar of insecurity those years have left upon her. But she is idle and deliberately ignores every order I give her, as I have told you.’
‘Be firm but kind, my dear. Present her with a list of chores each morning, in the order they must be done, and leave her to it.’
‘I’m willing to try anything, but how to soften this fierce resentment she nurses against the entire Angel family, that’s my biggest concern. We haven’t spoken a word to each other since the fight but there are times I think she carries the same thread of evil as our father, although less violent and destructive. She is truly the devil’s spawn.’
Wilma Jepson was shocked. ‘Oh, do not say such a thing, the
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