what they were saying to each other but it was obvious that they were stepping out together in the same way as Joe and Mabel. By the time they reached the post box in the village Amy was breathless and had to sit down on the nearest wall.
‘You’ve overdone things,’ Guy said anxiously. ‘We shouldn’t have walked so far.’
‘Nonsense, Guy. I’m perfectly well. It’s just a little stitch.’
He took her slender wrist in his hand and consulted his watch. ‘Your pulse is racing.’
‘Oh, so you’re a qualified doctor now, are you, Guy?’
‘Not for another two years, but I can tell a racing pulse when I feel one.’
Poppy gazed up at him lost in admiration, but his attention was focused on Amy. She did look very pale and Poppy wondered if she was going to faint. ‘My gran sniffs smelling salts when she has a funny turn.’
Amy smiled and squeezed her hand. ‘Thank you, but I’m quite all right, really.’
‘We’ll get you home at once.’ Without a by your leave, Guy swung her effortlessly into his arms, and despite Amy’s protests he strode off down the lane with Poppy hurrying along at his side. It was like something out of a film, she thought, quickening her pace in order to keep up with him. He was Errol Flynn carrying Maid Marian into Sherwood Forest. Poppy stole a sideways glance at his determined profile. I wouldn’t make a fuss like Amy, she thought enviously, but Amy looked far from happy.
‘Put me down, please, Guy. I’m fine, honestly.’
‘You’re not fine and this is good for improving my biceps, which I need if I’m going to be selected for the hospital rowing eight. Keep up, Poppy. We don’t want to have to come back to find you.’
Amy laced her fingers together behind Guy’s neck. ‘I didn’t know you liked rowing, Guy. I’ve missed so much this last year, and you’re a terrible correspondent.’
‘And you may look as if a puff of wind would carry you away, Amy, but you’re quite a weight, my girl.’
Poppy jogged along at his side, wishing that she was fair and lovely like Amy, instead of being sallow-skinned and dark-haired. She made a firm decision to include Amy in her prayers that night, along with Mum, Dad, Joe, Grandad, Gran and little Rupert. She was still burning with shame that the family thought she was unfit to look after him. She would miss his small body cuddling up to her in bed at night.
When they arrived back at the house Poppy was dismayed to see Miss Pamela standing by their car with Rupert clutched in her arms, while Jackson loaded luggage into the boot. Rupert chortled with delight when he spotted her and began to struggle but his mother gave him a sharp reprimand and he started to cry. Poppy longed to rush over and comfort him, but she did not dare.
Guy set Amy down at the bottom of the stone steps leading up to the main entrance. ‘I’d better drive you home, Amy.’
She reached up and kissed him lightly on his cheek. ‘Not yet, Guy. I’m going to see that Poppy is settled in the nursery, and I’ll have a word with Cook to make sure she gets some tea or otherwise I’m afraid they’re in such turmoil below stairs that they may forget all about her.’
‘Tell Mrs Toon she’ll have me to deal with if anyone takes it out on Poppy. I’ll just go and say cheerio to Pam and Hector.’ He strolled off in the direction of the Pallisters’ car leaving Amy and Poppy to negotiate the steps.
Inside the entrance hall, Poppy stopped at the foot of the stairs. ‘You shouldn’t walk up all them stairs if you’re tired, miss – I mean Amy. I know the way now, ta.’
‘You’re a sweet girl, Poppy. I am a bit tired but I wouldn’t admit it to Guy. He worries about me.’
With one foot on the bottom tread, Poppy hesitated, turning to Amy. ‘You won’t forget about me, will you?’
‘Don’t worry about anything. I’m going to speak to Mrs Toon now, and tomorrow morning I’ll be here bright and early to take you to school. You’ll
‘You’ve overdone things,’ Guy said anxiously. ‘We shouldn’t have walked so far.’
‘Nonsense, Guy. I’m perfectly well. It’s just a little stitch.’
He took her slender wrist in his hand and consulted his watch. ‘Your pulse is racing.’
‘Oh, so you’re a qualified doctor now, are you, Guy?’
‘Not for another two years, but I can tell a racing pulse when I feel one.’
Poppy gazed up at him lost in admiration, but his attention was focused on Amy. She did look very pale and Poppy wondered if she was going to faint. ‘My gran sniffs smelling salts when she has a funny turn.’
Amy smiled and squeezed her hand. ‘Thank you, but I’m quite all right, really.’
‘We’ll get you home at once.’ Without a by your leave, Guy swung her effortlessly into his arms, and despite Amy’s protests he strode off down the lane with Poppy hurrying along at his side. It was like something out of a film, she thought, quickening her pace in order to keep up with him. He was Errol Flynn carrying Maid Marian into Sherwood Forest. Poppy stole a sideways glance at his determined profile. I wouldn’t make a fuss like Amy, she thought enviously, but Amy looked far from happy.
‘Put me down, please, Guy. I’m fine, honestly.’
‘You’re not fine and this is good for improving my biceps, which I need if I’m going to be selected for the hospital rowing eight. Keep up, Poppy. We don’t want to have to come back to find you.’
Amy laced her fingers together behind Guy’s neck. ‘I didn’t know you liked rowing, Guy. I’ve missed so much this last year, and you’re a terrible correspondent.’
‘And you may look as if a puff of wind would carry you away, Amy, but you’re quite a weight, my girl.’
Poppy jogged along at his side, wishing that she was fair and lovely like Amy, instead of being sallow-skinned and dark-haired. She made a firm decision to include Amy in her prayers that night, along with Mum, Dad, Joe, Grandad, Gran and little Rupert. She was still burning with shame that the family thought she was unfit to look after him. She would miss his small body cuddling up to her in bed at night.
When they arrived back at the house Poppy was dismayed to see Miss Pamela standing by their car with Rupert clutched in her arms, while Jackson loaded luggage into the boot. Rupert chortled with delight when he spotted her and began to struggle but his mother gave him a sharp reprimand and he started to cry. Poppy longed to rush over and comfort him, but she did not dare.
Guy set Amy down at the bottom of the stone steps leading up to the main entrance. ‘I’d better drive you home, Amy.’
She reached up and kissed him lightly on his cheek. ‘Not yet, Guy. I’m going to see that Poppy is settled in the nursery, and I’ll have a word with Cook to make sure she gets some tea or otherwise I’m afraid they’re in such turmoil below stairs that they may forget all about her.’
‘Tell Mrs Toon she’ll have me to deal with if anyone takes it out on Poppy. I’ll just go and say cheerio to Pam and Hector.’ He strolled off in the direction of the Pallisters’ car leaving Amy and Poppy to negotiate the steps.
Inside the entrance hall, Poppy stopped at the foot of the stairs. ‘You shouldn’t walk up all them stairs if you’re tired, miss – I mean Amy. I know the way now, ta.’
‘You’re a sweet girl, Poppy. I am a bit tired but I wouldn’t admit it to Guy. He worries about me.’
With one foot on the bottom tread, Poppy hesitated, turning to Amy. ‘You won’t forget about me, will you?’
‘Don’t worry about anything. I’m going to speak to Mrs Toon now, and tomorrow morning I’ll be here bright and early to take you to school. You’ll
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