kids, see you tomorrow!'
Amy's heart sank as Harry reversed out of the yard and she saw panic in the children's eyes.
'I don't like the look of him,' Mabel said as Amy turned back into the kitchen. 'A smart Alec if ever there was one.'
It was clear Mabel hadn't changed much in temperament since the day when she had refused to speak civilly to her son-in-law Bill. Her hair was white now, pulled back into a rough bun. Wrinkled skin ingrained with dirt, and the absence of a top set of teeth belied the beauty of her amber eyes, so much like Tara's. Her rudeness, however, acted as a spur. Amy knew she had to take a firm stand now or she would be trapped in humble servitude again, just the way she had been before she ran away with Bill.
'You don't like the look of Harry?' Amy used her anger to give her strength. 'Well I'll point out now, Mother, I don't like the look of you or this place! It's like a pigsty. I'll overlook that for now, but don't you ever say anything about Harry and George because they've been the best friends anyone could have. So just watch it!'
'Well, Hoity Toity,' Mabel snapped back. 'You've got a bit lippy for someone who's been knocked about. It's all your own fault, too. I warned you about MacDon-ald!'
'So you did, Mother.' Amy took a step towards Mabel and looked right into her amber eyes. 'OK, you were right, and I hope it made you very happy. But while we're getting things out in the open, how about considering what a mess you made of bringing me up after Dad died! Maybe if you'd done a better job as a mother I wouldn't have been attracted to Bill in the first place.'
'How dare you?' Mabel's lip quivered.
Amy went back to the children and put an arm round each of them. 'I didn't ask to come here, you invited us. I'm prepared to put aside the past and try to make a life with you. But only if you meet us half way.'
'You should consider yourself lucky I've offered you a home.' Mabel pursed her lips.
'Lucky! To live here?' Amy laughed mirthlessly. 'This place is disgusting. It's a far worse slum than Durwood Street!'
'It is a mess,' Mabel agreed, glancing round the room as if seeing it clearly for the first time. 'But I can't help it, there's too much to do for one person.' There was a forlorn, almost bewildered look on her face which suggested things really had got on top of her. Amy felt a flicker of sympathy for her, despite her anger.
'All the more reason that you stop being so stupid then,' Amy snapped. 'I've got a deal to put to you.'
'What deal?' Suspicion wafted out of Mabel like body odour.
'If you treat us in a civilised manner, show your grandchildren some affection and share your home with us, then I'll work for you. I'll clean up this house, do the garden, sweep that yard.'
'Bill MacDonald has taught you a few things then?' Mabel almost smiled. 'Never used to be able to say boo to a goose!'
'I can when my children's happiness is at stake,' Amy said tartly.
The two women stared at one another, but it was Mabel who dropped her eyes first.
'A bargain,' she said, somewhat reluctantly. 'But don't you think I'll kowtow to you!'
'Nor me to you, Mother.' Amy smiled. 'Now, shall I introduce your grandchildren?'
'I'm Tara.' Tara moved forward just an inch or two. She had been concerned for the last hour or two about her crumpled kilt, the tomato sauce stain on her green jumper and her untidy hair, but compared with her grandmother she looked immaculate.
'I thought your name was Anne?' Mabel frowned.
'We changed it when we all changed our name to Manning,' Amy explained. 'She wants to be a fashion designer and we all thought Tara Manning sounded right.'
Mabel sniffed, but her mouth moved slightly in amusement.
"This is Paul.' Amy held on to his shoulder tightly, trying to give him confidence. 'Paul wants to be a doctor, but he's very shy, Mother, till he gets to know people.'
To Amy's surprise Mabel bent down towards Paul.
'Farms are good for shy people,' she said. 'Animals like
Amy's heart sank as Harry reversed out of the yard and she saw panic in the children's eyes.
'I don't like the look of him,' Mabel said as Amy turned back into the kitchen. 'A smart Alec if ever there was one.'
It was clear Mabel hadn't changed much in temperament since the day when she had refused to speak civilly to her son-in-law Bill. Her hair was white now, pulled back into a rough bun. Wrinkled skin ingrained with dirt, and the absence of a top set of teeth belied the beauty of her amber eyes, so much like Tara's. Her rudeness, however, acted as a spur. Amy knew she had to take a firm stand now or she would be trapped in humble servitude again, just the way she had been before she ran away with Bill.
'You don't like the look of Harry?' Amy used her anger to give her strength. 'Well I'll point out now, Mother, I don't like the look of you or this place! It's like a pigsty. I'll overlook that for now, but don't you ever say anything about Harry and George because they've been the best friends anyone could have. So just watch it!'
'Well, Hoity Toity,' Mabel snapped back. 'You've got a bit lippy for someone who's been knocked about. It's all your own fault, too. I warned you about MacDon-ald!'
'So you did, Mother.' Amy took a step towards Mabel and looked right into her amber eyes. 'OK, you were right, and I hope it made you very happy. But while we're getting things out in the open, how about considering what a mess you made of bringing me up after Dad died! Maybe if you'd done a better job as a mother I wouldn't have been attracted to Bill in the first place.'
'How dare you?' Mabel's lip quivered.
Amy went back to the children and put an arm round each of them. 'I didn't ask to come here, you invited us. I'm prepared to put aside the past and try to make a life with you. But only if you meet us half way.'
'You should consider yourself lucky I've offered you a home.' Mabel pursed her lips.
'Lucky! To live here?' Amy laughed mirthlessly. 'This place is disgusting. It's a far worse slum than Durwood Street!'
'It is a mess,' Mabel agreed, glancing round the room as if seeing it clearly for the first time. 'But I can't help it, there's too much to do for one person.' There was a forlorn, almost bewildered look on her face which suggested things really had got on top of her. Amy felt a flicker of sympathy for her, despite her anger.
'All the more reason that you stop being so stupid then,' Amy snapped. 'I've got a deal to put to you.'
'What deal?' Suspicion wafted out of Mabel like body odour.
'If you treat us in a civilised manner, show your grandchildren some affection and share your home with us, then I'll work for you. I'll clean up this house, do the garden, sweep that yard.'
'Bill MacDonald has taught you a few things then?' Mabel almost smiled. 'Never used to be able to say boo to a goose!'
'I can when my children's happiness is at stake,' Amy said tartly.
The two women stared at one another, but it was Mabel who dropped her eyes first.
'A bargain,' she said, somewhat reluctantly. 'But don't you think I'll kowtow to you!'
'Nor me to you, Mother.' Amy smiled. 'Now, shall I introduce your grandchildren?'
'I'm Tara.' Tara moved forward just an inch or two. She had been concerned for the last hour or two about her crumpled kilt, the tomato sauce stain on her green jumper and her untidy hair, but compared with her grandmother she looked immaculate.
'I thought your name was Anne?' Mabel frowned.
'We changed it when we all changed our name to Manning,' Amy explained. 'She wants to be a fashion designer and we all thought Tara Manning sounded right.'
Mabel sniffed, but her mouth moved slightly in amusement.
"This is Paul.' Amy held on to his shoulder tightly, trying to give him confidence. 'Paul wants to be a doctor, but he's very shy, Mother, till he gets to know people.'
To Amy's surprise Mabel bent down towards Paul.
'Farms are good for shy people,' she said. 'Animals like
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