Tall Poppies by Janet Woods Page A

 . . . not ever  . . . come here, darling.’
    Chad pushed her forward, and Livia took her sister’s thin little body in her arms. The girl began to struggle and scream. Wrenching away from Livia’s arms, she hurled herself against Chad, who put a protective arm about her. ‘It’s all right, Esmé.’ He gave Livia an angry glare. ‘She needs time to get used to you. Don’t make a fuss and she’ll come round.’
    Connie came out. ‘Bring them into the kitchen where it’s warm. There’s some broth to eat, and if you’re still hungry after that, I might find a slice of roly-poly jam pudding and custard apiece.’ She ruffled Chad’s hair and took Esmé’s hand in hers. ‘Say thank you to Mr Stone and let’s get inside, where it’s warm.’
    They did as they were told.
    Simon Stone smiled benignly at her after they’d gone. ‘I have a son and a daughter about their age. The children are tired and hungry, I think. I have some business to conduct with Mr Richard Sangster while I’m here.’
    â€˜I’ll go up and inform him. If you’d like to wait in the small sitting room, Beamish will bring him down. Thank you so much for bringing the children. I hope they weren’t too much trouble.’
    â€˜None at all. This is a big change for them, Miss Carr, but it won’t take them long to settle down. I should be about an hour. If you’re ready, I’ll drop you all off at Nutting Cottage before I go home.’
    â€˜That’s kind of you.’
    â€˜It was my pleasure. They said they couldn’t remember being in a car before, and your brother was most interested.’ He hesitated a little, then said, ‘I thought your sister was a little lethargic. She slept for most of the way, and has a cough. Chad said she’d had it for some time. I do think it might be a good idea for the doctor to examine them both.’
    â€˜Thank you; I’ll take your advice on that.’
    â€˜I’ll leave the bags in the car then. I took the liberty of buying them some suitable clothing, since they only had what they stood up in.’
    â€˜It didn’t enter my head that they wouldn’t have clothing. Oh dear  . . . you must allow me to reimburse you out of my wages.’
    She was filled with relief when he smiled, saying quietly, ‘You’ll need your wage, which is little enough to manage on. I’m sure the trust can absorb the cost. How are you managing with Captain Sangster?’
    She laughed. ‘You’ll have to ask him that. He’s very brave, and I feel so sorry for his plight. I also like him. He has a sense of humour and doesn’t feel pity for himself. All the same, he’s a bit of a challenge, since I never know whether he’s teasing me or being serious. I’ll do my best to help make him comfortable, of course. Mr Beamish is very good with him.’
    â€˜They went through the war together. Beamish saved his life at the front. He came looking for him after he returned home to discover that his own wife had become a victim of the flu.’
    Livia had not known. Poor Beamish, she thought, and felt so very glad that her own kin had survived it. Perhaps her prayer had helped after all.
    A little later, she, along with the children, copious bags, a fruitcake and a freshly made loaf of bread donated by Connie from the Foxglove House larder, were deposited at the cottage. She had to admit that Mr Stone had been generous with the trust’s money.
    The little Christmas tree was in a bucket in the sitting room. She’d put some cotton wool on the branches to resemble snow, and had made an angel out of a paper lace doily for the top. It looked a little bare, but pretty, and the children could make some paper lanterns to hang on it.
    After she lit the kitchen stove and collected the milk from the shelf in the porch, she went inside to find