Part 26 (2/2)

The Shufflebottom family was in Scarborough that summer on their annual holiday. They sat in chairs on the beach and watched the children.

”I was thinking,” said Sally, ”Rose should have been around to see Frankie take his first steps.”

”They've gone back to their grand life and Rose has nothing to fear any more. Why should she bother with the likes of us?”

Sally looked down the beach. ”That do look like Rose and Daisy walking along.”

”Can't be!”

Sally stood up and screwed up her eyes against the sun. ”It is,” she cried. ”It's them!”

Rose ran forward and hugged Sally. ”I thought you'd forgotten us,” said Sally as Bert stood up and the children gathered around.”

”We couldn't do that,” said Rose. ”My parents are visiting friends in Yorks.h.i.+re and they agreed to let us travel to Scarborough for the day.”

”Is the captain with you?” asked Bert.

”No, he had to go abroad on business.”

”And took Becket with him,” said Daisy.

They spent a happy afternoon with the family and then climbed back into the earl's coach.

”I wish they would come back,” said Daisy.

Rose nodded, thinking of how much she had looked forward to seeing Harry again, only to receive a visit from Brigadier Bill Handy to inform her that Harry had been sent abroad on government business.

”I don't think Becket and I will ever get married,” mourned Daisy.

If anything happens to Harry, thought Rose, I will definitely never marry. He makes every other man seem dull.

The carriage climbed up out of Scarborough onto the bleakness of the moors. The day grew darker.

Rose s.h.i.+vered. She had a superst.i.tious feeling that there was trouble ahead.

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