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Back The Winter Rose
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. RITA BRADSHAW
  3. Acknowledgements
  4. Prologue
  5. PART ONE
  6. Chapter One
  7. Chapter Two
  8. Chapter Three
  9. Chapter Four
  10. Chapter Five
  11. Chapter Six
  12. Chapter Seven
  13. Chapter Eight
  14. PART TWO
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. Chapter Ten
  17. Chapter Eleven
  18. Chapter Twelve
  19. Chapter Thirteen
  20. Chapter Fourteen
  21. Chapter Fifteen
  22. PART THREE
  23. Chapter Sixteen
  24. Chapter Seventeen
  25. Chapter Eighteen
  26. Chapter Nineteen
  27. Chapter Twenty
  28. Chapter Twenty-One
  29. PART FOUR
  30. Chapter Twenty-Two
  31. Chapter Twenty-Three
  32. Chapter Twenty-Four
  33. Chapter Twenty-Five
  34. PART FIVE
  35. Chapter Twenty-Six
  36. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  37. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  38. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  39. PART SIX
  40. Chapter Thirty
  41. Chapter Thirty-One
  42. Chapter Thirty-Two
  43. Chapter Thirty-Three
  44. Chapter Thirty-Four
  45. Epilogue
  46. Dancing in the Moonlight
  47. Beyond the Veil of Tears
  48. The Colours of Love
  49. Snowflakes in the Wind
  50. A Winter Love Song
  51. Beneath a Frosty Moon
  52. One Snowy Night
  53. The Storm Child
  54. The People’s Friend
  55. The Winter Rose
  56. By Rita Bradshaw

For the first time in her life Agnes Walton felt out of her depth. If Rose O’Leary really was Alexander Bembridge’s bit of stuff then she was in with the toffs, and the Bembridges weren’t people to get on the wrong side of. They were powerful and influential and had their fingers in plenty of pies. ‘I – I will speak to Dora, Mrs O’Leary, and find out what went on.’

‘I have told you what went on. I shall expect you to come down hard on this sort of behaviour without favour or prejudice. Have I made myself clear? And for the record, Miss Walton, I bought the bakery myself with no help from anyone, male or female, apart from the bank manager. Now, as he is seventy if a day and a highly respected member of the community, I trust the gossips like Mrs Finnigan won’t point the finger at him for doing what is his job and assisting small businesses?’

The teacher blinked, the look on her face leaving Rose in no doubt that she had heard the rumours, maybe even knew what Dora and her friends had been saying yesterday. Daisy had told her that Mrs Finnigan was Miss Walton’s aunt. The bell in the playground was ringing, and it was clear by the woman’s expression that it couldn’t be more welcome.

‘I’ll leave you now, but I shall expect you to do what I have asked, Miss Walton. Incidentally, any further harassment of Betsy will be laid directly at your door. You are paid to do a job and part of it involves making sure the children in your care are treated fairly and kindly, and that any sort of bullying is knocked on the head promptly. If you are not able to do this, then perhaps you need to question whether you have chosen the right career? Good day.’

She left the teacher with her mouth opening and shutting like a fish out of water and walked into the corridor. Children were pouring into the school, and as she caught sight of Betsy with Alice, Rose pulled them aside. ‘I’ve sorted everything out with Miss Walton so forget about it now,’ she said brightly. ‘All right? Dora will apologize to you today and that will be the end of the matter.’