Had Peg not stepped in between the arguments over Rae? And look what a disappointment she had turned out to be, running off to marry the first soldier who’d looked her way. After all Angus had done for her, insisting his girl stayed on at school. And where had it got her: not a single qualification and now not even eligible for war work. A disgrace to this house!

If Peg was honest there had been a measure of silent relief for her when Netta had waltzed off to Gretna Green with yon artist. Yet within days she was back under their roof and now the size of a bus. It wasnae fair! Try as she might Peg could never call her Jeanette, even though she was growing more and more like her mother. Roots will out, Peg mused. Trust Netta to chase after some penniless artist with only a satchel full of drawings to his name – she was after all the granddaughter of John Kirkpatrick, who’d once lived by the shore.

His derelict studio stood close to where Angus sometimes let the cattle roam and the pictures in the parlour were some of his finest. Peg wondered if they could do up the studio and put Netta and her bairn in there, out of her hair…

She had always been jealous of Jean. They had made such a handsome couple, she and Angus, in their hey-day; the tall farmer with his square face and sandy hair, quite a catch himself, and the fair artist’s model. But their offspring would try the patience of a saint! When Netta turned up in her kitchen each morning with her belly bulging, it rubbed further salt into the wound of Peg’s childless despair.

*

‘Look what Wee Alec’s given me!’ Netta breezed into the kitchen waving a dog-eared magazine in her hand: American Harper’s Bazaar. ‘Maisie Kerr found it wrapped round a food parcel from her cousin in New Jersey and they thought I might like to have it.’

Angus, after seeing the salesman’s departure, was now tucking into his hot mutton broth, blowing on the spoon and slurping. He barely raised his head. ‘He’s got a good eye for business, soft soaping you to spend at his store.’

‘Why do you always think everyone’s out to diddle us? I noticed you managed to sneak in without the poor man seeing you. He was waiting to catch you,’ answered Netta. The unexpected gift had lifted her spirits. It was good to have a fashion magazine to read at her leisure. She plonked down and shoved her trophy forward for Peg to admire. Angus looked up from his meal, pleased with himself.