It was half past six, the evening was beginning to draw in and still there was no sign of Fanny. She had been there when Ling had come back after school was over. The kettle was on the go and Fanny had made her sister sit down with her feet up to drink the welcome cup of tea. She had smiled gratefully at Fanny as she leant back on the settle and closed her eyes. The warm, crisp smell of fresh ironing soothed her nostrils as she slowly relaxed, only opening her eyes to sip at the scalding tea and then shutting them again as she lowered the cup back on to its saucer. She heard Fanny go out, but assumed it was for one of many reasons: to use the privy, check for hens’ eggs or take the vegetable peelings out to the pig. It wasn’t until a little time had passed that Ling realized Fanny had performed one of her disappearing tricks. Ling sighed in weary exasperation. She herself had always liked to roam the moor at that age, and Fanny had completed all her tasks for the day. The difference was that Ling had always told her parents when and where she was going, she’d invariably taken Fanny with her for company and she had her head screwed on.
