across it. The resemblance to you was striking. The same pretty face, same kind eyes.’
I had never seen a photograph of Mother-not from when she was younger-and Hannah’s description was so at odds with the Mother I knew that I was seized by a sudden and irrepressible longing to see it for myself. I knew where Lady Ashbury kept her scrapbook-the left-hand drawer of her writing desk. And there were times, many times now Myra was away, that I was left alone to clean the drawing room. If I made sure the household was busy elsewhere, and if I were very quick, it wouldn’t be difficult, surely, to glimpse it for myself? I wondered if I dared.
‘Why did she not come back to Riverton?’ Hannah was saying. ‘After you were born, I mean?’
‘It wasn’t possible, miss. Not with a babe.’
‘I’m sure Grandmamma’s had families on staff before.’ She smiled. ‘Just imagine: we might have known each other when we were children if she had.’ Hannah looked out over the water, frowned slightly. ‘Perhaps she was unhappy here, didn’t want to return?’
‘I don’t know, miss,’ I said, inexplicably discomforted to be discussing Mother with Hannah. ‘She doesn’t much talk about it.’
‘Is she in service somewhere else?’
‘She takes in stitching now, miss. In the village.’
‘She works for herself?’
‘Yes, miss.’ I had never thought of it in those terms.
Hannah nodded. ‘There must be some satisfaction in that.’
I looked at her, unsure whether she was teasing. Her face was serious, though. Thoughtful.
‘I don’t know, miss,’ I said, faltering. ‘I… I’m seeing her this afternoon. I could ask if you like?’
Her eyes had a cloudy look about them, as if her thoughts were far away. She glanced at me and the shadows fled. ‘No. It’s not important.’ She fingered the edge of David’s letter, still tucked into her petticoat. ‘Have you had news of Alfred?’
‘Yes, miss,’ I said, glad of the change of subject. Alfred was safer territory. He was a part of this world. ‘I had a letter this week past. He’ll be home on leave in September. That is, we hope he will.’
‘September,’ she said. ‘That’s not so long. You’ll be glad to see him.’
‘Oh yes, miss, I certainly will.’
Hannah smiled knowingly and I blushed. ‘What I mean, miss, is we’ll all be glad to see him downstairs.’
‘Of course you will, Grace. Alfred is a lovely fellow.’
My cheeks were tingling red. For Hannah had guessed correctly. While letters from Alfred still arrived for the collective staff, increasingly they were addressed solely to me. Their content was changing too. Talk of battle was being replaced with talk of home and other secret things. How much he missed me, cared for me. The future… I blinked. ‘And Master David, miss?’ I said. ‘Will he be home soon?’
‘He didn’t say.’ She ran her fingers over the etched surface of her locket, glanced at Emmeline and lowered her voice. ‘Sometimes I think he’ll never come back.’
‘Oh no, miss,’ I said quickly. ‘You mustn’t think like that. I’m sure nothing dreadful will-’
She confounded me by laughing. ‘I didn’t mean that, Grace. What I mean is, now that he’s escaped I don’t think he’ll ever come back here to live. With us. He’ll remain in London and he’ll study piano and become a grand musician. Lead a life rich with excitement and adventure, just like in the games we used to play…’ She looked beyond me in the direction of the house and her smile faded. She sighed then. A long, steady exhalation that made her shoulders deflate. ‘Sometimes…’
The word hung between us: languorous, heavy, full, and I waited for a conclusion that did not come. I could think of nothing to say, so I did what I did best. Remained silent and poured the last of the lemonade into her glass.
She looked up at me then. Held out her glass. ‘Here, Grace. You have this one.’
‘Oh no, miss. Thank you, miss. I’m all right.’
‘Nonsense,’ Hannah said. ‘Your cheeks are almost as red as Emmeline’s. Here.’ She thrust the glass toward me.
I glanced at Emmeline, setting pink and yellow honeysuckle flowers to float on the other side of the pool. ‘Really, miss, I-’
‘Grace,’ she said, mock sternly. ‘It’s hot and I insist.’
I sighed, took the glass. It was cool in my hand, tantalisingly cool. I lifted it to my lips, perhaps just a tiny sip…
An excited whoop from behind made Hannah swing around. I lifted my gaze, squinted into the light. The sun had begun its slide to the west and the air was hazy.
Emmeline was crouched midway up the statue on the ledge near Icarus. Her pale hair was loose and wavy, and she had threaded a cluster of white clematis behind one ear. The wet hem of her petticoat clung to her legs.
In the warm, white light she looked to be part of the statue. A fourth water nymph, come to life. She waved at us. At Hannah. ‘Come up here. You can see all the way to the lake.’
‘I’ve seen it,’ Hannah called back. ‘I showed you, remember?’
There was a drone, high in the sky, as a plane flew overhead. I wasn’t sure what kind it was. Alfred would have known.
Hannah watched it go, not looking away until it disappeared, a tiny speck, into the sun’s glare. She remained for a moment, gazing at the empty sky, the sun that continued blindly to shine no matter that war raged on the continents below. Then suddenly she stood, resolutely, and hurried to the garden seat that held their clothing. As she pulled on her black dress, I set down the lemonade and made to help her.
‘What are you doing?’ Emmeline asked her.
‘I’m getting dressed.’
‘Why?’
‘I have something to do at the house.’ Hannah paused as I straightened her bodice. ‘Some French verbs for Miss Prince.’
‘Since when?’ Emmeline wrinkled her nose suspiciously. ‘It’s the holidays.’
‘I asked for extra.’
‘You did not.’
‘I did.’
‘Well I’m coming too,’ Emmeline said, without moving.
‘Fine,’ Hannah said coolly. ‘And if you get bored, perhaps Lord Gifford will still be at the house to keep you company.’ She sat on the garden seat and started lacing up her boots.
‘Come on,’ Emmeline said, pouting. ‘Tell me what you’re doing. You know I can keep secrets.’
‘Thank goodness,’ Hannah said, looking at her with wide eyes. ‘I wouldn’t want anyone to find out I was doing extra French verbs.’
Emmeline sat for a moment, watching Hannah and drumming her legs against a marble wing. She inclined her head. ‘Do you
‘I
