While Senga was helping Mrs Carruthers put the finishing touches to the tree, she suddenly asked, “Do you think this will be our last Christmas here, Miss?” “Well things are going a lot better for us in the war, but I think it might be a while yet before it’s all over.” “You know, Miss, I still cannae believe I’m here in this braw hoose. I mean, it’s like a fairytale, living in this castle, so it is.” Mrs Carruthers smiled because she, like the children, was sometimes overawed by the grandeur of the Craigs and its surroundings. “See, when I get back to Hermitage Park School and tell them about this place, nobody’s going to believe me. They’ll think it’s another of my dreams.” “Dreams, Senga? What do you dream about?” “Well, Miss, I’d love to be like my sister Tess, and get a good job. She’s working in the Store Chemist in Newhaven now. Comes home smelling of nice things. And if a bath cube gets broken in the shop she gets to take it hame.” Senga became wistful.
