‘I love you too, now shoo!’ Sunday watched Kathy waddle off down the drive where she would wait in the lane for the next bus into town. Very soon now Sunday would have two new grandchildren, for Livvy was also expecting her first baby in September and she and Giles could hardly wait.

It had been a terrible shock for Giles when his grandfather had died the very day he returned, and it had put back his recovery quite some time. She shook her head, not wanting to dwell on those sad memories. It had been a shock to all of them, coming after so many happy events. She sighed. But that was how life worked, as she knew all too well. Still, gradually, with Livvy’s loving care, Giles had recovered and now he was building their stud business back up with horses from tried and trusted breeders.

Sunday stared across the lawns through the open window. She felt every year of her age now and often she wished she could just go to sleep and not wake up. She had felt that way ever since John had died. It was only after he had gone that she’d realised how much she had come to care for him. Not in the way she had cared for her Tom, admittedly, but they had been very close all the same. And now there were times when she felt almost redundant. Both of the girls had their own lives to lead and she dreaded becoming a burden to them. And Livvy and Edith had Treetops running like clockwork with the help of a woman from the village who came in three times a week to do the laundry and help with the cleaning.

Cissie and George had eventually retired shortly after last Christmas, but they were still living in the cottage close by, and every afternoon Cissie would come and the two of them would sit with a cup of tea and their feet up talking about times past.

‘We’re a right old pair o’ biddies now, ain’t we?’ Cissie had chuckled only the day before and Sunday could only agree with her.

‘You’re right, if we were horses, we’d be put out to grass.’

Sunday smiled slightly at the memory. She loved the quiet times she spent with Cissie – she was her oldest friend after all – but today, once again, the bad feeling was on her and rising slowly from her chair she leaned towards the window and peered down the drive for a sign of Kathy, but she had long gone from view, so Sunday headed for the kitchen to see if there was a cup of tea going and to keep herself occupied.

Cissie was already there enjoying a tea break with Edith when she entered the room and she asked instantly, ‘What’s up wi’ your face then? Yer look like you’ve lost a bob an’ found a sixpence!’