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Heather had the most frightfully good idea. That I ought to have a bicycle.’
    ‘A
bicycle?
’
    ‘Mummy, you sound as though I'm asking for a racing car, or a pony. And I think it's a really good idea. Windyridge isn't like this house, next door to the railway station, and it's miles to the bus stop. If I have a bicycle, then I can get myself about, and Aunt Louise won't have to drive me in her car. And,’ she added cunningly, ‘
then
she can get on with her golf.’
    Aunt Louise gave a snort of laughter. ‘You've certainly thought of everything.’
    ‘
You
wouldn't mind, would you, Aunt Louise?’
    ‘Why should I mind? Glad to be rid of you,’ which was Aunt Louise's way of being funny.
    Molly found her voice. ‘But, Judith…isn't a bicycle dreadfully expensive?’
    ‘Heather says about five pounds.’
    ‘I thought so. Dreadfully expensive. And we have so many other things to buy. We haven't even started on your uniform yet, and the clothes list for St Ursula's is yards long.’
    ‘I thought you could give it to me for Christmas.’
    ‘But I've already got your Christmas present. What you asked me to get for you—’
    ‘Well, a bicycle could be my birthday present. You won't be here for my birthday, you'll be in Colombo, so that will save you having to post me a parcel.’
    ‘But you'll have to go on the main roads. You might have an accident…’
    Here Aunt Louise intervened. ‘Can you ride a bicycle?’
    ‘Yes, of course. But I've never asked for one before, because I haven't really needed it. But do admit, Aunt Louise, it would be terribly handy.’
    ‘But, Judith…’
    ‘Oh, Molly, don't be such a fuss-pot. What harm can the child come to? And if she drives herself under a bus, then it's her own fault. I'll stand you a bicycle, Judith, but because it's so expensive, it'll have to do for your birthday as well. Which will save
me
having to post you a parcel.’
    ‘Really?’ Judith could scarcely believe that her argument had worked, that she had gone on pressing her point, and actually got her own way. ‘Aunt Louise, you are a brick.’
    ‘Anything to get you out from under my feet.’
    ‘When can we buy it?’
    ‘What about Christmas Eve?’
    Molly said faintly, ‘Oh, no.’ She sounded flustered, and Louise frowned. ‘What's the matter
now?
’ she demanded. Judith thought there was no reason to speak so unkindly, but then Aunt Louise was often impatient with Molly, treating her more like an idiot girl than a sister-in-law. ‘Thought of more objections?’
    ‘No…it's not that.’ A faint blush turned Molly's cheeks pink. ‘It's just that we won't be here. I haven't told you yet, Louise, but I wanted to tell Judith first.’ She turned to Judith. ‘Aunt Biddy rang.’
    ‘I know. Phyllis told me.’
    ‘She's asked us to go and spend Christmas and New Year with them in Plymouth. You and me and Jess.’
    Judith's mouth was full of scone. For a moment she thought she was going to choke, but managed to swallow it down before anything so awful should happen.
    Christmas with Aunt Biddy.
    ‘What did you
say?
’
    ‘I said we would.’
    Which was so unbelievably exciting that all other thoughts, even the new bicycle, fled from Judith's head.
    ‘When are we going?’
    ‘I thought the day before Christmas Eve. The trains won't be so crowded then. Biddy would meet us at Plymouth. She said she was sorry that she'd left it so late, the invitation, I mean, but it was just an impetuous idea. And she thought that, as it will be our last Christmas for a bit, it would be a good idea to spend it all together.’
    If Aunt Louise hadn't been there, Judith would have jumped up and down and waved her arms and danced around the room. But it seemed a bit rude to be so elated when Aunt Louise hadn't been asked as well. Containing her excitement, she turned to her aunt.
    ‘In that case, Aunt Louise, perhaps we could buy the bicycle
after
Christmas?’
    ‘Looks as though we're going to have to, doesn't