brightly painted wooden boats. Towards the northern end of the lake the gently rolling countryside, flanked by swathes of steeper fells, became more rocky and sheer. Beyond these the countryside grew ever more rugged up to the high fells and craggy mountain peaks.
‘But I like him,’ Lily said. ‘He’s amusing, and fun, and very kind.’
‘And safe, I know. Every girl’s dream. A quiet man to do her every bidding.’ Rose sidled closer to offer a dab of mustard, which Lily gratefully accepted. ‘How about this other chap then, the one what’s living in your house? Nathan Monroe. What’s he like? Bet he isn’t so safe.’
Lily’s glance was withering. ‘I hate him. I’ve always hated him.’ She told Rose of her childhood experiences while her friend listened, wide-eyed.
‘Nay, that’s naught,’ she said at length. ‘Worse happened to me every day in Workington. Why, once I was turned upside down in a water butt and...’ But seeing the warning in Lily’s eyes, thought better about pursuing this particular argument. ‘Well, happen he’s calmed down a bit now he’s full-grown. And he’s certainly done that! I’ve never seen such a strapping, broad-shouldered chap. Quite handsome in his way.’ Again she caught Lily’s glowering look and concentrated on wiping her smeary fingers on her apron. ‘But go on, what’s he like to live with?’
Lily’s cheeks flushed and she almost choked on her sandwich. ‘Live with? Rose, you make it sound as if we were slept in the same room, which we don’t.’
Rose giggled, wriggling her hips with delight, which unfortunately disturbed the rotting cabbage leaves and had both girls screwing up their noses at the resulting odour.
‘I wouldn’t say no though, would you?’
‘He’s despicable. So pernickety he drives me mad - always cleaning his boots. And he likes his clothes pressed and ironed with the creases in just the right places. Anyone’d think I was his servant!’
Rose gave a wry smile. ‘Sounds like a man with standards.’
‘He’s a slave driver who uses women for his own ends. He was a bully when I was eight and he twelve, and he’s a bully still,’ came back the fiery response.
Rose widened her eyes. ‘Whoops, sorry I spoke.’
Two cows stood ankle-deep in the water, relishing its coolness, while a gentle breeze gathered strength, frothing and slapping at the waters, sending yachts scudding and playing havoc with a clutch of rowing boats tied up alongside the wooden pier. Both girls giggled. There was always something entertaining to watch on the lake.
‘Happen he learned all this tidiness when he were a sailor on them big ships. That’s where he says he’s been these last few years, isn’t it?’
Lily l ooked even more scathing and sniffed with disdain. ‘If you can believe that. Personally I suspect he’s spent the time in a far less salubrious place.’
‘You don’t mean...’
‘I do. He always was a trouble-maker. I reckon he’s served time somewhere he’d rather not mention.’
‘What, in prison?’
‘Where else? Otherwise why has he never come home, even on a visit, for nigh on eight years?’
‘There could be any number of reasons.’
Lily tossed her head, not wishing to hear anything which might change her view of this odious man. ‘He once caused me a lot of grief, and I never forget folk who do that. Anyroad, I’ve no wish to talk of Nathan Monroe. It’s the Clermont-Reads who interest me. What am I to do about them?’
‘There’s naught you can do. They have life all sewn up to suit themselves. Like I say, forget them, Lily. You’ll only end up hurting yourself.’
This was not what Lily wished to hear. She explained to Rose how they had ruined her life, how Edward Clermont-Read owned the very house in which they lived and had never lifted a finger, so far as she knew, to help improve life for his tenants in The Cobbles.
‘He’s only concerned with his own comfort, and profits. The whole
‘But I like him,’ Lily said. ‘He’s amusing, and fun, and very kind.’
‘And safe, I know. Every girl’s dream. A quiet man to do her every bidding.’ Rose sidled closer to offer a dab of mustard, which Lily gratefully accepted. ‘How about this other chap then, the one what’s living in your house? Nathan Monroe. What’s he like? Bet he isn’t so safe.’
Lily’s glance was withering. ‘I hate him. I’ve always hated him.’ She told Rose of her childhood experiences while her friend listened, wide-eyed.
‘Nay, that’s naught,’ she said at length. ‘Worse happened to me every day in Workington. Why, once I was turned upside down in a water butt and...’ But seeing the warning in Lily’s eyes, thought better about pursuing this particular argument. ‘Well, happen he’s calmed down a bit now he’s full-grown. And he’s certainly done that! I’ve never seen such a strapping, broad-shouldered chap. Quite handsome in his way.’ Again she caught Lily’s glowering look and concentrated on wiping her smeary fingers on her apron. ‘But go on, what’s he like to live with?’
Lily’s cheeks flushed and she almost choked on her sandwich. ‘Live with? Rose, you make it sound as if we were slept in the same room, which we don’t.’
Rose giggled, wriggling her hips with delight, which unfortunately disturbed the rotting cabbage leaves and had both girls screwing up their noses at the resulting odour.
‘I wouldn’t say no though, would you?’
‘He’s despicable. So pernickety he drives me mad - always cleaning his boots. And he likes his clothes pressed and ironed with the creases in just the right places. Anyone’d think I was his servant!’
Rose gave a wry smile. ‘Sounds like a man with standards.’
‘He’s a slave driver who uses women for his own ends. He was a bully when I was eight and he twelve, and he’s a bully still,’ came back the fiery response.
Rose widened her eyes. ‘Whoops, sorry I spoke.’
Two cows stood ankle-deep in the water, relishing its coolness, while a gentle breeze gathered strength, frothing and slapping at the waters, sending yachts scudding and playing havoc with a clutch of rowing boats tied up alongside the wooden pier. Both girls giggled. There was always something entertaining to watch on the lake.
‘Happen he learned all this tidiness when he were a sailor on them big ships. That’s where he says he’s been these last few years, isn’t it?’
Lily l ooked even more scathing and sniffed with disdain. ‘If you can believe that. Personally I suspect he’s spent the time in a far less salubrious place.’
‘You don’t mean...’
‘I do. He always was a trouble-maker. I reckon he’s served time somewhere he’d rather not mention.’
‘What, in prison?’
‘Where else? Otherwise why has he never come home, even on a visit, for nigh on eight years?’
‘There could be any number of reasons.’
Lily tossed her head, not wishing to hear anything which might change her view of this odious man. ‘He once caused me a lot of grief, and I never forget folk who do that. Anyroad, I’ve no wish to talk of Nathan Monroe. It’s the Clermont-Reads who interest me. What am I to do about them?’
‘There’s naught you can do. They have life all sewn up to suit themselves. Like I say, forget them, Lily. You’ll only end up hurting yourself.’
This was not what Lily wished to hear. She explained to Rose how they had ruined her life, how Edward Clermont-Read owned the very house in which they lived and had never lifted a finger, so far as she knew, to help improve life for his tenants in The Cobbles.
‘He’s only concerned with his own comfort, and profits. The whole
Similar Books
