November,” Aunt Märta says. “When the fog is thickest. She wouldn’t think much of the open view then.”
Stephie doesn’t answer. If Aunt Märta’s set her mind on disliking Janice, there’s not much she can do about it.
Vera and her employer’s family are now settled into the shopkeeper’s summer rental cottage. As is the custom every year, the island fills up with summer tenants who take over the houses while the fishermen’s families move down into their basement rooms. Since the war began, more and more people want to spend the summers in the archipelago. No one can go abroad anymore.
Auntie Alma’s summer tenants have three children, two boys and a girl, who’s just Nellie’s age. Her name is Maud, and she’s a tomboy. She goes around in shorts and plays wild games with her brothers. Soon Nellie seems to have forgotten Sonja and her other classmates. She’s constantly on the heels of Maud and her brothers, climbing trees, building little houses in the woods, and coming home covered with scrapes and bruises.
Auntie Alma complains to Aunt Märta about Nellie becoming so wild.
“I hardly recognize her. She’s always been so nice and neat.”
“You’ve spoiled her, Alma,” Aunt Märta says firmly.“And that always has a price. Speaking of which, you spoil your own children as well.”
“How can you say that?” Auntie Alma asks, bewildered. “In any case, Nellie’s changed completely. She’s suddenly a different girl.”
“This, too, shall pass,” Aunt Märta comforts her. “She’ll settle down again; you’ll see.”
But Stephie has her doubts. There’s something strange about Nellie this summer. Something abrupt and fierce. Stephie hardly recognizes her, either. There’s a glare in her eye when she looks at Stephie. Is she still angry about having been slapped, even though Stephie apologized and Nellie accepted her apology? Or is it something else?
Could her own sister hate her?
Every morning, Stephie goes upstairs to see Miss Björk for her private lessons. They’ve settled on nine to eleven as their study hours.
They focus on math, physics, and chemistry. It’s hard work but fun, especially the math. Every day, Stephie comes back downstairs with homework for the afternoon. In the evenings, she has novels to read for the Swedish literature course. She has a few hours off in the middle of the day to go for a swim.
On Wednesday mornings, Janice gives Stephie an English lesson, which allows Miss Björk to sleep in.Stephie loves it. She loves reading the poems and short stories by English authors that Janice gives her, and then discussing them in English. Janice teaches Stephie English songs, and sometimes she finds the BBC, an English radio station, when she turns the dial.
Together they listen to news of the war, but it’s difficult to get a clear picture of what’s going on. The Allied victories in Italy and North Africa seem to have halted. One day, the newscaster informs them in his dry voice that Goebbels, Germany’s minister of propaganda, has declared Berlin “free from Jews.” When she hears that, Janice turns off the radio.
Janice doesn’t give Stephie any homework.
“I’m not a schoolmistress, you know,” she says, giving Hedvig Björk a knowing wink.
“Whatever you say,” says Miss Björk. “As long as Stephie passes her entrance exam in English. If she doesn’t, I’ll hold you to blame. And you know what that would mean.”
There’s a special tone to the conversation between Miss Björk and Janice. Slightly playful but with a serious undertone.
As if everything they say means more than just what the words are telling
, Stephie thinks.
They must be very close friends, in spite of being so different
. Kind of like her and May.
Stephie misses May. She can talk to her about everything. May always listens and understands. She can be serious when necessary, and make a joke at just theright moment. And she would never, ever, betray a
Stephie doesn’t answer. If Aunt Märta’s set her mind on disliking Janice, there’s not much she can do about it.
Vera and her employer’s family are now settled into the shopkeeper’s summer rental cottage. As is the custom every year, the island fills up with summer tenants who take over the houses while the fishermen’s families move down into their basement rooms. Since the war began, more and more people want to spend the summers in the archipelago. No one can go abroad anymore.
Auntie Alma’s summer tenants have three children, two boys and a girl, who’s just Nellie’s age. Her name is Maud, and she’s a tomboy. She goes around in shorts and plays wild games with her brothers. Soon Nellie seems to have forgotten Sonja and her other classmates. She’s constantly on the heels of Maud and her brothers, climbing trees, building little houses in the woods, and coming home covered with scrapes and bruises.
Auntie Alma complains to Aunt Märta about Nellie becoming so wild.
“I hardly recognize her. She’s always been so nice and neat.”
“You’ve spoiled her, Alma,” Aunt Märta says firmly.“And that always has a price. Speaking of which, you spoil your own children as well.”
“How can you say that?” Auntie Alma asks, bewildered. “In any case, Nellie’s changed completely. She’s suddenly a different girl.”
“This, too, shall pass,” Aunt Märta comforts her. “She’ll settle down again; you’ll see.”
But Stephie has her doubts. There’s something strange about Nellie this summer. Something abrupt and fierce. Stephie hardly recognizes her, either. There’s a glare in her eye when she looks at Stephie. Is she still angry about having been slapped, even though Stephie apologized and Nellie accepted her apology? Or is it something else?
Could her own sister hate her?
Every morning, Stephie goes upstairs to see Miss Björk for her private lessons. They’ve settled on nine to eleven as their study hours.
They focus on math, physics, and chemistry. It’s hard work but fun, especially the math. Every day, Stephie comes back downstairs with homework for the afternoon. In the evenings, she has novels to read for the Swedish literature course. She has a few hours off in the middle of the day to go for a swim.
On Wednesday mornings, Janice gives Stephie an English lesson, which allows Miss Björk to sleep in.Stephie loves it. She loves reading the poems and short stories by English authors that Janice gives her, and then discussing them in English. Janice teaches Stephie English songs, and sometimes she finds the BBC, an English radio station, when she turns the dial.
Together they listen to news of the war, but it’s difficult to get a clear picture of what’s going on. The Allied victories in Italy and North Africa seem to have halted. One day, the newscaster informs them in his dry voice that Goebbels, Germany’s minister of propaganda, has declared Berlin “free from Jews.” When she hears that, Janice turns off the radio.
Janice doesn’t give Stephie any homework.
“I’m not a schoolmistress, you know,” she says, giving Hedvig Björk a knowing wink.
“Whatever you say,” says Miss Björk. “As long as Stephie passes her entrance exam in English. If she doesn’t, I’ll hold you to blame. And you know what that would mean.”
There’s a special tone to the conversation between Miss Björk and Janice. Slightly playful but with a serious undertone.
As if everything they say means more than just what the words are telling
, Stephie thinks.
They must be very close friends, in spite of being so different
. Kind of like her and May.
Stephie misses May. She can talk to her about everything. May always listens and understands. She can be serious when necessary, and make a joke at just theright moment. And she would never, ever, betray a
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