Tess felt the hot blood rush up her neck and into her cheeks. What a fool she had been! She had clearly let her feelings show despite her good intentions. ‘I am sorry, Gran, truly I am,’ she said humbly. ‘It’s just that at the farm I often felt out of things, and once I got home I knew that you and I were a family once more and that’s how I want it to be. For always.’

Gran had been turning away to go to her room but now she turned back, her expression quizzical. ‘Oh yeah, pull the other one, honey,’ she said in a mock American accent. ‘So you don’t intend to get married one of these fine days? And you’ve given up your secret urge to continue your education and go to university? And if you were offered a really well paid job in foreign parts, you’d turn it down? Let’s have a little honesty here, young lady.’

Tess began to protest, then stopped short. ‘All right, all right, I give in. We’ve both got a right to our private lives; our dreams, if you like. Isn’t that what you’re trying to say? One of these fine days I expect I shall want to marry some fellow, and the same goes for you. No, don’t shake your head, it’s the truth and it’s about time I realised it. And now let’s go to bed, or else Mr Payne won’t be the only one unable to get out of bed tomorrow morning.’

She thought that the subject was exhausted, but Gran caught her arm as she was about to go into her own room. ‘Dear Tess, would it make you very unhappy if I asked you to call Mr Payne Albert – or even Uncle Albert if you’d prefer?’ she asked. ‘Only he and I have been using first names for a while now so it sounds rather odd when you are so formal.’

‘All right; I’ll call him Albert if it’ll make you happy,’ Tess said rather gloomily. ‘Goodnight, Gran. Sweet dreams.’

‘I don’t why it is, but the holidays seem to whizz past in no time at all, and school terms last for ever,’ Tess said. She was making up her carryout whilst Gran washed up the breakfast things.

‘It’s because you enjoy the freedom of the holidays,’ Gran said. ‘But I thought you enjoyed school as well. And most of the girls who took pleasure in being unkind to you will have left, so less of the long face if you please! Don’t forget, your schooldays are supposed to be the happiest days of your life.’

Tess snorted. ‘I wonder who said that? I bet it was some old twerp in his forties, but I’d better get a move on since I want to call for Lucy. She will still be in my class, thank the Lord.’ As she spoke she pushed her lunch tin into her satchel, slipped on her jacket, for the hot August had given way to a cool September, and set off down the stairs, closely followed by Gran. They said their goodbyes on the pavement and Gran disappeared into the bakery whilst Tess hurried towards Mere Lane, but before she had gone more than a few yards she saw Snowy coming along the pavement towards her.