She had hidden herself away in the summerhouse, for she and Thomas were more at odds than ever, like mismatched horses in double harness. She busied herself with her nature study pursuits and her paints, and hoped this particular bout of bad weather would pass. The lady’s slipper flower had bloom...
She must have brought that home from Whitgift’s, Sadie thought, wondering how much it cost and how many vegetables it would have paid for. But she said nothing. Ella was quivering with cold and looked tired and wan even before she started. It was as if she was trying to obliterate every trace of ...
When Elspet went in to ask Martha how she fared, Martha wept at her out of terrified eyes. ‘Help me, mistress, I don’t want to die. Take me home, I beg you, don’t make me—’ She leaned over to retch piteously, her body racked with the force of it. Th...
A New Arrival The next day I hadn’t time to dwell on the afternoon’s outing because as I was scouring the pans Mistress Binch burst in from outside. ‘Mr Grice is coming. Quick. Run and put on a clean apron. Then to the hall.’ Her face was anxious, so I shot up the servant stairs and gave m...