Sue Douglas is a full time author who lives on the west coast of Scotland.

She enjoys comedy shows and listening to rock music when not writing and The Waterwomans Gift is her sixth novel. At present she is working on her ninth.

Dedicated to Michael

Sue Douglas

THE WATERWOMANS GIFT

Copyright Sue Douglas The right of Sue Douglas to e identified as author of this work has een asserted y her in accordance with section !! and !" of the Copyright# Designs and $atents Act %&"". All rights reserved. 'o part of this pu lication may e reproduced# stored in a retrieval system# or transmitted in any form or y any means# electronic# mechanical# photocopying# recording# or otherwise# without the prior permission of the pu lishers. Any person who commits any unauthori(ed act in relation to this pu lication may e lia le to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. A C)$ catalogue record for this title is availa le from the *ritish +i rary. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resem lance to real persons# living or dead# is purely coincidental. )S*' &!" %",&-. ,%/ 0 www.austinmacauley.com 1irst $u lished 2/0%,3 Austin Macauley $u lishers +td. /4 Canada S5uare Canary 6harf +ondon 7%, 4+*

$rinted and ound in 8reat *ritain

Acknowledgments
Many thanks for the continued support from everyone at Austin Macauley.

Chapter One
Janie

9urling the ulging folder of court papers as hard as she could into the corner of her office# arrister :anie Malham kicked the wastepaper asket and screamed an oath# much to the surprise of 9enry $aget# the head of cham ers. 9enry# due to retire in a matter of weeks# was currently even more relaxed a out life than usual ; a result of his anticipating a future with little to think a out other than fishing or painting. 9e stood waiting patiently for :anie to notice his presence. An amia le# softly spoken man with a round face# a undant grey hair and kind eyes# he had always guided# supported and advised his juniors# clerks or colleagues ut held a special regard for :anie as she had een forced to work harder for her position# insofar as not enefitting from influential parents to pave her way or introduce her to affluent clients. :anie<s parents# tenant farmers from the 'orth 6est of 7ngland# had at one time een reasona ly wealthy# thanks to correctly marking a cross eside the names of foot all clu s they hoped would play games ending in a score draw the following Saturday. They had# however# spent every last pound of their huge win on :anie<s private education and legal studies. To say they had een proud of their only child was an understatement and :anie# appreciating what they had allowed her to achieve# tried hard not to let them down. 9er father had died unexpectedly# shortly after she egan working with 9enry# and for a year# her mother attempted to run the farm single=handed ut was eventually forced to admit it was far too much for her. $atricia Malham reluctantly gave up the Cum rian fells farm# travelled to +ondon and moved in with :anie. The arrangement

was not ideal for either of them ut $atricia assured her daughter that she only intended staying until she found somewhere she wished to move to. 6hen nowhere suita le seemed to come onto the market# :anie increasingly elieved that her mother would remain with her indefinitely. 9er Aunt 7llie then miraculously offered to share her ungalow on the coast and# even more miraculously# the offer had een accepted. )t was difficult to say who had een the more surprised y her mother<s decision# :anie or 7llie. The sisters had never seen eye to eye on even the most asic of ideas ut# una le to elieve her own luck# :anie wished her aunt well# while in no dou t there would e conflict. :anie knew she had done everything possi le that afternoon in court. The accused should have een given a lengthy sentence ut after ten consecutive cases of clearly guilty defendants eing ac5uitted# or given derisory sentences while their victims suffered terri le emotional or financial repercussions# she found herself despairing of oth juries and the legal system. She felt she could not face another farcical trial. The fight had gone from her# and all the nights of lonely study seemed to have een a waste of her youth. )n her anger she riefly recalled 7rica# a school friend who now earned far more than she did y working in the leisure industry# doing very little# other than writing reports on the variety of holiday destinations she was sent to y her employer. The girl had arely scraped an 7nglish +anguage >=level and yet there she was# flying usiness class to exotic destinations# swanning around in designer ikinis# living her glamorous# cele rity lifestyle while the more conscientious of her classmates ran themselves into the ground# trying to pursue worthwhile careers in medicine or attempting to uphold the law. )t just went to prove that a pretty face and voluptuous figure could still open a whole variety of locked doors. 7rica had apparently owled over the all=male selection oard efore even taking a seat at her interview. This was of no surprise to anyone who knew her ut it still rankled with :anie# and telling herself that 7rica<s looks would fade over time gave her no comfort as the girl would have found herself at least one millionaire y that time. :anie sighed loudly# knowing she was acting and thinking childishly out of sheer frustration.

The sight of hundreds of papers needing to e picked up from the floor and re=collated concentrated her mind once more ut efore she could stoop to collect them together# she noticed her head of cham ers standing silently in the doorway. :anie had huge respect for 9enry# in addition to finding him one of the most pleasant men she knew. 9e seemed to live in a ygone age# stu ornly refusing to move with the times# yet fully conversant with modern technology and culture. She knew he had married his wife# 8loria# late in life# having met her on a photography course# and assumed the only reason 9enry agreed to take full retirement was that 8loria# a midwife# had een offered the option of early retirement and eagerly taken it. The pair had plans for a succession of holidays and :anie did not lame them# even though the word holidays was currently ta oo as far as she was concerned. 7ventually# 9enry spoke in the calm manner he used to great effect in court. 9e regularly lured defendants into assuming he was an elderly time=server# unlikely to unearth the truth y his tame 5uestioning? most discovered to their cost that the man was far sharper than they imagined. @)t can<t possi ly e that time of the month again# my dear. )t seems only days since you throttled the tea lady#A 9enry remarked softly# in what she knew was a sympathetic attempt to lighten her mood rather than a patronising remark. 9enry was a gentleman# in every sense of the word# ut had a wry sense of humour to complement his professional demeanour. :anie turned to face him# her eyes still conveying the anger she felt on ehalf of her last client. @9e got off#A she announced# knowing the words were enough to explain her ehaviour. @) heard#A 9enry murmured# empathising with her# e5ually at a loss as to how to explain the Bnot guilty< verdict returned y the jury. 9aving read the evidence against the urly thug who had assaulted a young# unarmed# police officer# he too had expected a guilty verdict# which would have led to an appropriate custodial sentence. @)t was o vious to an amoe a that Carlos *room was guilty.A

@)t undou tedly would have een o vious to an amoe a# ut not the good people of the jury unfortunately. $erhaps the courts should source jurors from the nearest science la oratory in future.A @) just don<t understand it. The facts were all presented and# thanks to a whole pile of irrefuta le evidence# ) proved eyond reasona le dou t that the oik was responsi le for Consta le Singh<s horrific injuries.A @)<m sure you did# ut we all know how unpredicta le juries can e.A @Cnpredicta le is one thing# o livious to compelling evidence is 5uite another. )t wasn<t even a majority verdict that the jury eventually shuffled in to return# it was unanimous. ) think they only took as long as they did ecause the food at the hotel is so good. )<ve had enough of it# 9enry. ) can<t do it anymore. ) never thought ) would hear myself saying this ut# suddenly# corporate law sounds a far etter and far less stressful proposition.A @6e have all een there# :anie. Compelling evidence# on its own# just isn<t enough sometimes. Dou have a run of ad verdicts and then everything goes ack to normal. Dou<ve een working too hard# just take a holiday and forget all a out this place. Are any of your clients planning to appealEA :anie placed the last of the papers on her desk# ignoring the lights flashing on her phone to indicate incoming calls. @My last ten cases have all een as prosecuting counsel. Two of the accused got a suspended sentence# one was fined a derisory amount and told not to e naughty again# in other words a metaphorical slap on the wrist# the other seven were found not guilty. Six of those defendants should have een hung for their crimes ; they certainly would have een efore we decided to give every murderer an opportunity to kill someone else. 6e now seem to send murderers# muggers and rapists on all= expenses=paid holidays while compensating those criminals who do get put inside for any distress they pretend it causes them.A @>h dear# :anie# that sounds dangerously right wing. The next thing you know# you<ll e suggesting women stay at home#

remain silent and look pretty for when their hus ands come home.A @Stop it# 9enry# you know perfectly well what )<m saying is the truth. )t<s the reason you<re fully retiring and not taking that cushy jo with your friend<s charity in Scotland. There<s simply no happy medium any more. 9oodlums are now laughing at any attempts to ring them to justice and# as a result# innocent people are losing faith in the court system that was set up to protect them. 9ell# )<m losing faith in it. The legal system has tilted too far in the favour of criminals# making it possi le for louts to manipulate the rules for their own protection# usually courtesy of the tax payer. Their victims stand no chance. The law isn<t just a game we lawyers play within the confines of a courtroom# watched over y a ored=senseless jury. The law was supposed to protect innocent people. These grinning little horrors# with no respect for anyone or anything# are allowed ack onto the streets where they oast a out their crimes and go on to ruin more lives# safe in the knowledge that the police have to treat them with kid gloves# adhering to every last rule or risk losing their jo s. Teeny yo s can e as violent as they like ut their victims and the police have to a ide y strict guidelines. These ridiculous rules are framed y people who live in glorious o livion of what happens in the real world. 6ho will e running around to make certain Consta le Singh has everything he needs and check that his rights have all een upheldE 'o one# that<s who? all anyone cares a out is the welfare of the perpetrators and making sure any paperwork was properly completed within the allowa le time.A @) know# ) know# ut we can only do our est with the laws we have.A @6ell )<ve done my est and it hasn<t een good enough so )<m 5uitting. Someone who cares nothing a out justice and is content to just go through the motions can take on my cases. Feece 'ortham immediately springs to mind as a suita le replacement.A 9enry pulled a pained expression. @>h# :anie# ) know you<re upset and )<m retiring any day now# ut please don<t wish Mr 'ortham on me# not even for a

day. )n all seriousness# don<t make rash decisions while you are a trifle miffed. Think things through when you have calmed down# you must have months of accrued holiday time to take.A @'ine weeks and four days.A @Then take them. Sit on a each somewhere# or attend parties with young people# perish the thought. *uy shoes and hand ags# get s5uiffy# do some sightseeing# watch mindless ru ish on the television. *ut whatever you do# undertake nothing which re5uires the slightest amount of thought.A @) won<t change my mind.A @May e not# ut take some time off anyway and leave +ondon. 6herever you go# e advised not to take a phone with you or someone will e sure to talk you into taking their sure=fire case. Dou are one of the most conscientious arristers ) have ever worked with# ut it will e your downfall if you allow personal feelings to cloud your judgement. 6hatever you say# this is a jo we do and we do it to the est of our a ilities. The law is a jo that has to e done or we may as well all give up and go fishing while waiting for the dregs of society to take control.A @'ot y me. ) can<t face the look on another client<s face when their assailant walks free with the judge<s lessing. Consta le Singh<s parents lamed me and asked how ) could sleep at night. ) half expected his mother to slap me as we stood on the steps of the court# then what would ) have doneE ) certainly couldn<t have slapped her ack as ) agreed with her.A @The verdict was out of your hands# ut you have always known that accepting wrong verdicts and ludicrous sentencing goes with the jo .A @>ccasionally may e# ut this is time and time again. 6here do you suppose they<re getting jurors from these daysE ) reckon it must e rent=an=im ecile. 9as society roken down so far that no one is guilty of anything anymoreE 9as loutish ehaviour ecome the normE Three of the jurors who decided *room was innocent looked like the sort of 'eanderthals you see loitering on street corners# swigging lager and harassing passers= y. ) would have een angry if )<d een :aspal Singh<s family# though in fairness# :udge 9enderson appeared completely ewildered y the decision? even the defence counsel looked stunned. ) was so

convinced that half the jury had no idea what was going on around them that# in my summing up# ) explained the facts using words of one sylla le to make things easier for them. 7ven that didn<t work. They were pro a ly more interested in getting to the hotel for their lunch.A @Think it through carefully efore making a final decision. 8o home and talk to :eremy.A 9enry did not elieve for one moment that :anie<s oyfriend would have any success in altering her mind. )n fact# there was every possi ility he would make matters ten times worse y saying the wrong things. 9e# himself# felt una le to suggest a etter alternative until :anie allowed him ack into the conversation y reminding him of an offer she had recently received from one of their est clients. @) appreciate what you<re saying# 9enry# and )<m truly grateful for all of your support# ut you don<t elieve my talking to :eremy would e a good idea any more than ) do. Dou should have heard him when ) told him a out your friend<s offer of the six=month post in Scotland. Dou<d have thought ) was planning to go into exile and never see him again. Actually# ) reckon all he was concerned a out was the holiday he wanted to ook.A 9enry# never having lost his a ility to pick up on the slightest fact and turn it to his advantage# sei(ed on :anie<s comments concerning the less than perfect relationship she had with :eremy Marchland and the temporary position she had een offered ut reluctantly turned down due to work pressure. 9e knew for a fact that the small charity# specialising in the protection of indigenous flora and fauna in remote locations# had especially wanted :anie to accept the secondment. Thanks to having oth corporate law and farming experience# she was the ideal person for their temporary wardenGlegal advisor post. *y employing just one person to take on two roles# the charity would undou tedly save money# and 9enry imagined there would still e time for her to accept. The director of the charity# Alan Fandall# was a close personal friend of his# an old university pal in fact# so a 5uick call would e all that was necessary to secure the position for :anie.

@:anie# ) refuse to accept your resignation until you have calmed down to a lower level of simmering rage and thought things through properly. Dou could still take up the charity<s offer of a position you know. ) said at the time how the arrangement would enefit us here# as we would e certain of retaining their lucrative usiness in the future# and ) did my est to encourage you to take the jo if you recall.A @)s the position still availa leEA @) can call Alan for you. 9e certainly expressed a keenness for you to accept the post after hearing a out your farming ackground in addition to the legal experience. 9e would e ill= advised to employ a short=term warden and a part=time lawyer if he could employ one person to do oth jo s. >f course# there would e no o ligation until you had discussed it further with him.A :anie had always thought that if 9enry grew a long eard# he could pass as Santa Claus. 9is offer to help secure her a temporary position# well away from +ondon# dealing with simple documents and tenant<s disputes# however# was far etter than any wrapped present. That evening# :anie thought once more of the offer to live alone in Caithness for six months. The jo involved inspecting a huge conservation area# logging any maintenance deemed necessary# reporting on livestock# making suggestions for improvements and taking care of several legal pro lems the charity was experiencing. 9aving the relevant practical experience and most likely eing over5ualified to take on the legal matters# after spending years at a firm dealing primarily with commercial law# she had initially een keen. :eremy# however# had een predicta ly less than enthusiastic a out her leaving +ondon for six months.

Chapter Two
Jeremy

:eremy Marchland was neither attractive nor unattractive? average looking was the most apt description :anie could think of to accurately explain the appearance of the man she had een dating for almost seven months. 9e was also of average height# weight and uild# ut she had een drawn to :eremy<s personality rather than his looks. The fellow arrister was highly amusing# generous and considerate# with an a ove average sporting capa ility# regularly playing rug y for a local clu # even though he had once een offered a trial for his county. :anie had refused# from day one# to stand on the sidelines of cold pitches to watch him play# and happily delegated the honour of doing so to his doting mother# a woman who irritated her immensely. Mrs *eatrice Marchland >*7 was a nightmare. The woman never listened to a word anyone ut :eremy uttered# prefacing all of her sentences with the words B:eremy thinks< or Bmy son says<# which after a few hours tended to ring out homicidal tendencies in the most placid of people. )t was o vious from her >*7 that *eatrice had at one time een an intelligent woman who knew her own mind ut# following the death of her hus and# :eremy seemed to have taken charge of her life. :anie would not have een in the least surprised to discover he chose his mother<s clothes as he had already convinced her she was too old to drive and sold her practically new car. 9is action would have made perfect sense had *eatrice een confused or a menace on the road ut she was 5uite capa le# simply una le to stand up to her son<s interference. $rovided he was free to do so# which was not as often as *eatrice would have liked# :eremy now took his mother wherever she wanted to go# although luckily her village had relia le pu lic transport to the nearest town. 6hen

emergencies arose# or :eremy was detained at court somewhere# there was also the goodwill of her two remaining friends ut it was far from ideal# and to :anie<s mind# totally unnecessary. :anie had een dating :eremy for two months efore he invited her to stay with him and his mother for a weekend in her ram ling former rectory in Surrey. *y the time Saturday evening approached# :anie fully understood his reluctance to do so any sooner. )t was plainly o vious that *eatrice resented her relationship with :eremy ut he laughed off the idea that his mother disliked her. As time had gone on# :anie ecame increasingly convinced that *eatrice wanted her son to stay at home until she died ut trying to convince :eremy had een a waste of reath. 9e truly elieved his mother wanted them to marry. :anie# however# would willingly have et a year<s income that *eatrice wanted anything ut. So far she had managed to avoid a conversation where she would e forced to admit that marrying :eremy was not on her list of future goals and was currently inventing reasons not to see him# other than for lunch or a 5uick coffee somewhere while working. 9e was so different when away from his mother# the pair seemed to ring out the worst in each other# ut :anie remained undecided of whether :eremy was controlling his mother or *eatrice was controlling him. 7ach time she had met Mrs Marchland# her reluctance to commit further to :eremy intensified. She could not help feeling that if he was controlling his mother then the tendency to dominate may well extend to others. Six weeks efore the Consta le Singh case went to court# :eremy had ooked a surprise holiday for them ut the location he chose was affling. Father than ooking a luxurious hotel# in a foreign resort with guaranteed sunshine# he had rented a self= catering# wooden chalet in 6ales. She had needed a reak# however# and looked forward to spending time alone with :eremy# if only to assess her feelings for him. She mainly looked on the holiday as her opportunity to decide whether the relationship was worth maintaining ut# with only days left until their departure# he casually mentioned that his mother had pleaded to join them as she felt low.

*eatrice su se5uently accompanied them# expressing a need to sleep in the only dou le ed# which meant their holiday was going to e fraught from the start and would revolve entirely around Mrs Marchland<s rigid timeta le. Their nights had een spent apart and the days virtually impossi le to enjoy as *eatrice religiously ate reakfast at eight# lunch at twelve thirty then four o<clock tea# followed y a light supper at nine efore retiring at ten. 7ven once his mother had retired there had een no 5uestion of :eremy leaving her alone in the chalet# in order for them to enjoy an evening out. *eatrice had tearfully complained of eing una le to sleep until everyone was tucked up in ed. Mrs Marchland<s inflexi le routine# along with a reluctance to eat anything in a restaurant in case it contained garlic# distress at missing her favourite soaps# which meant all of them# and re5uests for :eremy to drive her to historic uildings or formal gardens# made the week a holiday from hell rather than a five= star reak. :anie spent most of the time swearing under her reath and longing to return to work# ut it proved one thing to her# she was never going to marry :eremy while *eatrice was alive. As *eatrice was a spritely sixty year old# from a family who all lived well into their nineties# the outlook was leak and :anie thought it pretty well concluded the summing up of decisions she had reached regarding her future. :eremy# to give him credit# admitted the holiday had een a disaster# thanks entirely to taking his mother# and promised her a week away in the resort of her choice as soon as her case had finished. As she sat mulling over her discussion with 9enry# however# she knew in her heart that not only was her time working as a arrister over# the relationship with her oyfriend had also reached its closing stages. All that remained for her to do was explain her decision to :eremy# and there was never any time like the present. The following morning# she arrived in her office and asked the clerk if 9enry was free. @9e is for the next hour# Ms Malham# his client has just decided to defend himself# or plead guilty as Mr $aget put it.A :anie knocked on 9enry<s door and he called for her go in. 9e tried hard to appear unsurprised y her arrival ut was

unused to seeing her dressed casually. :anie had arrived without make=up# her waist=length# copper=coloured hair hanging loosely instead of securely pinned up in a professional=looking chignon# and wearing jeans# teamed with a right yellow sweatshirt. 9enry glanced down at her feet# expecting to see trainers# and was astonished to see she preferred suede ankle oots. They were sand coloured and resem led those worn y construction workers. @9enry# ) won<t eat a out the ush# ) thought a out what you said last night and )<d like to take the charity<s post if it<s still availa le.A 9enry smiled a knowing smile. 9e had suspected she would want to reconsider the offer so had taken the li erty of calling Alan Fandall# the director of B$rotection for )ndigenous Species and their 9a itat<# to en5uire. 9opeful that 9enry would eventually convince their preferred choice to accept the post# Alan had held off advertising ut revised the salary upwards since contacting :anie and waited patiently for her decision. @6hat convinced you at the finishEA 9enry asked# moving papers from one side of his desk to the other# motioning her to take a seat and placing a cup of fresh coffee in front of her. 9enry always had a cup of excellent=5uality coffee availa le# thanks to a complicated machine which sat in the corner of his office. 9is personal lend of coffee was far superior to that prepared in the office canteen and it never failed to impress important clients# or soothe irate visitors. 'ot usually a coffee drinker# :anie took a sip and explained her change of heart concerning the charity<s offer. @A com ination of things altered my mind# ut primarily it was the reasons ) told you a out after the Singh case.A @6hat a out :eremyE The post is for six months and it<s hardly commuta le.A @) ended it with :eremy last night. ) should have known a reasona ly attractive# amusing and generous man was single for a reason.A @6ould it e awfully ad form of me to ask what was wrongEA

@'othing# until it came to the relationship he has with his mother. ) just don<t understand why he has to mollycoddle the woman. ) would go so far as to say he enjoys controlling her# even though she<s well capa le of living y herself and making her own decisions.A @Does he have any rothers or sistersEA @'o# he<s an only child. ) could have understood it if he<d wanted to ensure the house and finances passed to him when *eatrice died# ut he<s already inherited most of what there is. The house and a portfolio of investments were left to him y his maternal grandmother. ) dou t *eatrice has a further fortune to leave as :eremy<s father was a schoolteacher.A @> viously has a mother fixation and has taken away the old girl<s independence to make sure she relies on him.A @6ell ) need to get away from everyone and everything annoying me at the moment# so he can take his mother wherever he likes. ) could hear the panic in his voice when ) called him last night and told him ) was changing careers. )<ve never known him to e mean# yet ) just know he was calculating whether )<d e too much of a drain on his finances. )<m sure he was wondering if )<d e a le to afford my share of a trip to 1lorida# a destination ) insisted on after our disastrous holiday in 6ales. ) only picked 1lorida ecause *eatrice hates the heat# which ) suppose says an awful lot a out my juvenile sense of retaliation# ut he got a tiny it annoyed when ) then laughed at one of his suggestions. The moment ) told him a out my plan to leave the legal system altogether# in order to do something where ) would feel appreciated# ) honestly thought he was a out to suggest ) sell my car and move in with his mother as a companion. 9alf a day with *eatrice and )<d have needed legal representation myself.A @9e might surprise you now that you have told him how you feel.A @Since when have you een a fan of :eremy MarchlandEA @) won<t lie to you. ) never have liked the oy.A @) rather guessed as much ut# as we<re eing candid# may ) ask why notEA @To e honest# ) simply don<t trust him. There<s something peculiar a out him that ) can<t put my finger on ut# whatever it

is# )<m not the only one aware of it. This is only etween you and me ut ) have it on good authority that his head of cham ers would e glad to see the ack of him.A @*ut he<s a rilliant arrister# he must ring in thousands.A @9e<s a little too rilliant# in 7mma<s opinion.A @*ut surely that<s just sour grapes. 9e dated her for a while efore she got clingy.A 9enry tilted his head to one side then laughed. @Sorry# :anie# ut you have to stop right there and listen to yourself? 7mma 1or es=+eyton# clingyE There are many words which ade5uately descri e Ms 1or es=+eyton ut clingy is not in the first few thousand that come to my mind.A :anie smiled and agreed it sounded unlikely. @'o. The woman doesn<t suffer from misplaced modesty# self=deprecation# or the slightest lack of confidence# does sheEA @6ho on earth told you she had got clingyEA 9enry asked# still chuckling at the idea. @:eremy# and then his mother swore it was true#A she replied without conviction. @) rest my case# as popular television arristers are still guaranteed to say. The version ) heard was that 7mma gave :eremy an ultimatum concerning the same type of scintillating visits to his mother<s house that you have descri ed in the past. :eremy chose to ignore her# which was never going to e a good idea# ut their relationship actually ended when 7mma told *eatrice to stop treating :eremy as though he were her hus and. 1rom all accounts things got 5uite heated after that# ut then annoying 7mma always guarantees flying sparks and the need for a fast car. ) don<t want to lose you# :anie# especially as a result of :eremy<s antics. Take the jo offer and use the time to reflect on your career here. 6hatever you do# don<t allow :eremy to influence your decisions or you will end up like...A :anie sighed. @) know you<re right. ) do need a reak ut# elieve me# there<s no chance )<ll ever end up like *eatrice.A @6ell# now that you have your answer a out :eremy# go away and think carefully a out your future plans. Dou are a

respected arrister not a# newly 5ualified# village high street advisor. The legal profession needs dedicated people like you.A @So do charities? they may well offer me a full=time post after the initial six=month trial.A @) applaud your ideals# :anie# ut frankly any lawyer could take most of the charity posts. Taking on a arrister is over= egging the pudding# to say the least. A junior corporate lawyer is all Alan really re5uires. Do you really want to live in the land that time forgotE Dou<ve only seen the place on video# and that was shot in the summer. Spending a winter up there could e horrendous. Dou could end up talking to sheep# joining the 6omen<s )nstitute or playing darts at the only pu for miles.A @Dou forget ) grew up on a remote farm. ) know what out of the way places are like in the winter# and the one )<ve een asked to work at has running water and electricity no lessH )<m actually hoping for ad weather towards the end of the six months as it will test my resolve and prove ) haven<t ecome soft or mercenary.A @Talking of mercenary# even with their revised offer# the salary you were 5uoted is derisory. Are you sure you will manageEA @6ell# all the utility ills will e paid for me# ) won<t need cocktail dresses# new shoes or make=up# and there will e a +and Fover at my disposal with as much diesel as ) re5uire. 6hat more could a girl ask forEA @)n that case# ) wish you all the est and will call you after three months to make sure you aren<t talking to the cows and getting sensi le replies.A @)f ) do# it<ll e more than ) get from the vast majority of folk here. )<d want to stay permanently.A That evening# :anie poured herself a large glass of wine efore curling into her reclining armchair. She then reluctantly dialled her mother<s new telephone num er# a num er she already knew y heart as it had een her Aunt 7llie<s num er for many years. :anie had poured the wine in the hope of fortification# knowing from experience that any conversation with her mother would do nothing to raise her spirit levels naturally. $atricia Malham# after much persuasion# had given up

the farm she and :anie<s father had worked for decades# reluctantly admitting that# as a widow# the life was far too hard for her. 1ollowing the rief stay with :anie in +ondon# $atricia grudgingly accepted 7llie<s generous offer to share her home. She had moved to the east coast where her sister# a widow for five years# lived in a small modern ungalow situated 5uite close to the sea ut within walking distance of a variety of shops. 7llie was ten years older than $atricia so initially :anie<s mother had wondered if the offer had een made so that her sister would have a live=in carer when the time came. Anyone who knew oth sisters well# however# would have et anything it would e the adventurous 7llie who would e called upon to do any caring. 7llie had not seemed to age or slow down since her thirties and had a diverse social life# with many friends and ac5uaintances# unlike $atricia who preferred to stay at home# finding useful things to do. :anie was not in the slightest surprised that it was her mother who answered the phone? no dou t 7llie was at a shindig somewhere. @9i# Mum# how are things down southEA she asked rightly. @$retty much as they were up north ut with less rain#A was her mother<s unenthusiastic reply# delivered in her usual monotone. @9ave you unpacked all your things and settled in yetEA @>f course ) have. ) didn<t have that much to ring did )E And it<s just as well )<ve never een a hoarder or collector. This place is even smaller than ) remem ered it# and with two of us here it feels claustropho ic. Mind you# 7llie<s hardly ever at home so ) suppose she doesn<t worry a out the lack of space.A :anie persevered# trying to find something positive to say a out the move# while at the same time# admiring her aunt for making the offer to share with $atricia# especially as 7llie knew only too well what her sister was like. 7llie had always possessed the patience of a saint# and in :anie<s opinion she was going to need it. @At least everything there is new and you won<t need to continually clean out open fires.A @>h# yes# everything here is new and tickety= oo. 'ot that ) know how half of it works. She has one of those microwave

ovens would you elieve. ) told her ) wasn<t going to eat my dinners out of anything ut a proper stove ut she<s got this fancy# uilt=in fan oven. 6hen she showed me how to use it ) couldn<t elieve how many uttons# flashing num ers and dials the fangled thing has. ) have to wait until she comes home to have my dinner. 'ine times out of ten she<s eaten out# so why she wants all this complicated stuff ) don<t know. There was nothing wrong the stove she had when ) was last here.A @That was twenty years ago# Mum.A @*ut the stove was still working# she said so herself. 7vidently the Salvation Army were delighted with it ut 7llie insists it looked out of place when she tarted up the kitchen with new cup oards? upgrading she called it. ) call it wasteful and having more money than sense. She wouldn<t have thrown good stuff out if she<d een on the money your father and ) had to live on.A :anie sighed. She had anticipated her mother ecoming ored with living in a town ut had not foreseen pro lems from the first week and wondered how long the arrangement would last. @Dou don<t sound exactly overjoyed at eing there. ) thought you were keen to move in with Aunt 7llie.A @) was# ut ) haven<t lived with her since ) was ten and she<s certainly changed since we were young girls.A @) daresay she has ut it<s ound to take time to adjust to living with someone else after such a long time married or on your own.A @) know that so don<t get me wrong. )t<s much easier to live in a modern ungalow than a draughty farm ut it<s so small here# and the neigh ours are only feet away.A @9ave you met them yetEA @'o. This is the south? you know what it<s like down here. 7veryone appears to e in a tearing hurry. 7llie said the couple to the right only live there during the summer# seems they have a second home in Spain. The man on the left apparently works in +ondon so has left y the time we go out# and he doesn<t get in until long after nine. At weekends he<s up with the larks and

gone sailing. ) wouldn<t know any of them if ) met them on the street.A @9ave you een down to the each yetEA @MeE 8o to the eachE )<ve never een an idling on the each person# and there<s nothing ut stones and litter on the one here so why anyone would want to go there<s eyond me. ) don<t like the smell on the esplanade and all the shops in town have loud# jangly music playing. 6hen did folk start making such a racket everywhereE 7llie goes out every single afternoon# would you elieve# so ) try to do something to improve her garden. She sees gardening or growing things as a waste of time while you can uy stuff in the supermarket.A @1rom what ) remem er of 7llie<s garden it shouldn<t take you very long to re=landscape the whole lot.A @At my age# pottering is 5uite sufficient. Dou wait until you get older# then you<ll know all a out it. Talking of recurring pains# have you heard from :eremyEA @'o. ) don<t think ) ever will after what was said the last time ) spoke to him.A @8ood.A $atricia Malham<s reply was not entirely unexpected# and it left little to e said# so :anie returned to the su ject of her mother<s move. @Dou are still glad you moved down to 7ssex aren<t youE 6ith all of the family near y it has to e etter than living hundreds of miles away.A @) didn<t have much choice did )E Moving in with 7llie made sense# seeing as how she<s in the same oat. At least ) have one person to talk to ; when she<s at home that is. My friends from home call me most weekends ut it isn<t the same as going into town and seeing folk you know for a chat. The people you see here are either on holiday or look as though they<re in a race. The younger ones are practically monosylla ic ; if they speak at all ; and most need a good hiding to instil some manners. )n my day you<d have got the elt for not saying please or thank you# let alone cheeking your elders.A :anie took a large sip of her wine efore continuing# una le to forget how her mother always made a pointed remark

whenever she witnessed anyone enjoying a glass. Fefusing to stop drinking altogether# or only drink after her mother had retired# :anie had claimed the red wine supplied her antioxidants ut her argument had een met y more disapproval. She had received yet another lecture on how things were in the old days# when people ate proper food to supply everything their odies needed and the only time a drink was taken was on 'ew Dear<s 7ve. @$erhaps you should take up a ho y# like 7llie.A @) most certainly won<t ever start cavorting a out like she does. She seems to elong to every clu for miles around? whist# owling# allroom dancing# amateur dramatics# pottery# and anything else on the go. ) swear if they started up a judo clu or ran a mechanics course 7llie would e the first to join.A @Initting or painting then#A :anie suggested in desperation# efore resorting to another mouthful of her wine# thankful she did not have to wait until 'ew Dear<s 7ve for a glass of vino when dealing with her mother. @My eyes aren<t up to ho ies. 9o ies are for when you have your faculties. *y the time you get to my age# and have a it of time on your hands# you can<t see to do anything close up. 7ven the paper is printed too small to read these days.A @*ut you had your eyes tested last month and they agreed you needed much stronger glasses# didn<t they helpEA @)<m not uying new glasses until the ones )<ve got have worn out ; ) only ought them a few years ago. Does everyone think )<m made of moneyE ) told the optician ) only needed stronger lenses and he said putting new lenses in the old frames would e thirty pounds so ) told him what he could do with his new lenses. ) only need glasses to read la els or instructions these days so ) got a rand new pair of magnifying spectacles from a discount place here in the town? they didn<t have fancy prices# everything in the shop was a pound.A :anie would willingly have ought her the proper glasses as well ut knew the offer would e firmly declined. 9aving made certain that her mother had her mo ile phone num er she reminded her that she had the new jo for six months ut would call every couple of days.

@Call me any time if there<s an emergency or you need someone to talk to.A @)<ll not e calling a mo ile# it costs the earth. +et me know if there<s a proper telephone in the cottage you<re staying in. )<ve looked the place up on the map and it looks miles away# couldn<t you have got anywhere nearer homeEA @'o. Scottish wildlife tends to stay in Scotland.A @Can<t say that ) lame it? )<d have stayed somewhere remote given half the chance.A