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I’ve always wanted to be in that sort of house. Well, I started off at Cedars, didn’t
    I?
    I’ve mentioned to Amy, there might be something for her. “
    “Oh, Meg, I shall miss you so!”
    “I’ll miss you, love. But life’s like that. Changing all the time. And 1 reckon you’ll be all right with Miss Sophie. I remember her from the old days. A bit of a caution, she was. Hoyden sometimes, but her heart’s in the right place, and that’s what counts. It’ll be more lively with her than it was with your ma.”
    “I do hope everything is going to be all right.”
    “It will be. As soon as she come here, she seemed to throw a light on a dark subject, as they say. We’ve got to face the truth. Your ma is not going to get any better. She’s got to have proper care and she’ll get it in this place. You’ll be able to go and see her often. It couldn’t be better. Trust Miss Sophie. She was always the one to get things done.”
    It was true. The house was up for sale. It was a pleasant place and
    there were prospective buyers. Aunt Sophie was practical in the extreme. She said the servants must stay there until they found posts. They could not be turned out.
    There was good luck in that direction. Meg’s sister wrote that there was a place for Meg. It was only housemaid, but it was something and there was a chance to ‘work her way up’. There was nothing as yet for Amy but there were many big houses in the neighbourhood and the servants were friendly with one another and she had heard that a twee ny was wanted in one of them. She would speak for her and a recommendation went a long way.
    We were very optimistic and our hopes were not disappointed.
    It was as though Aunt Sophie had come like a fairy godmother and waved her magic wand.
    I said to her one day: “What of my father?”
    Her expression changed slightly. It became what I could only call watchful.
    “What of him?” she asked, rather sharply for her.
    “Should he be told?”
    She was thoughtful for a while, then she shook her head.
    “After all,” I pointed out, ‘he is her husband . and my father. “
    “Well, all that was finished, you know. They divorced.”
    “Yes, but he is still that, isn’t he … he is at least my father.”
    “It is all a long time ago.”
    “It must be about twelve years.”
    “He will have a new life now.”
    “With a new family.”
    “Perhaps.”
    “So you think he wouldn’t be interested in me?”
    She was smiling and her face was tender.
    I said: “You liked him, didn’t you?”
    “Most people did. Of course, he was not very serious … ever.”
    1 waited for her to go on, and as she did not, I said: “Do
     
    2. you think he ought to be told? Or do you think he wouldn’t want to be reminded of us? ” ” It could be . uncomfortable. When people divorce they sometimes become enemies. He was the sort who didn’t like trouble . who turned away from it. No, dear, let’s forget all that. You’re coming back with me. ” } I was thoughtful, wondering about him. She laid her hand over mine.
    “They say, ” Let sleeping dogs lie”,” sh<( said. j “I have heard that.” “Well, if you wake them up, there can be a lot of barking and perhaps unpleasantness. Let’s go back to Wiltshire.! See how you like it there. You’ll have to go to school or something. There is your education, isn’t there? These j things are important. You and I have a lot of decisions to come to. We don’t want to burden ourselves with what’ has gone before. We have to go marching on. That was your mother’s trouble. Looking back all the time. It’s no good, Freddie.
    I’ve a notion you and I will do very well together. “
    “Oh yes. Aunt Sophie. I don’t know what to say to you. You came here after all those years and you’ve made it all seem so much easier.”
    “That’s the ticket. I must say, I feel pleased about acquiring a niece all to myself.”
    “Dearest Aunt Sophie, I feel very happy to have my